London Fever
by PurpleKorea134
Summary: Zack receives the shock of his life: he falls for London Tipton. And at the same time, London receives the shock of her life as well... she falls for him, too! How will things turn out when they start a relationship? (Set in "The Suite Life On Deck")
1. Chapter 1

_Hi, everyone! Here is a cute story set in one of our favorite Disney Channel shows, _The Suite Life On Deck_. I love the whole _Suite Life_ series, mainly from watching it on Disney Plus, and thought that I would write a fan fic about it. If you guys have read any of the fan fic stories that I have written before, you know that I like to pair up people that are an unlikely couple. So, here's another one! Zack, now sixteen, finds himself shocked to be developing feelings for London, his friend of five years, and... London finds herself shocked to be developing feelings for one of her twin friends._

_Enjoy this one, guys! =)_

_PS - This story takes place sometime in the 2nd season, so Zack has not gotten a girlfriend yet._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"For the tenth time, that is pineapple, not chunks of ginger. The flavor will not be that strong, I promise."

The blonde girl in a yellow dress walked away with a simple thank you and Zack leaned over the smoothie counter and shook his head. That girl was pretty hot, but she made London seem smart. Even London could tell the difference between ginger and pineapple. Zack paused. Nah, maybe not.

A few other teens came up and ordered smoothies and Zack got to work. This job wasn't bad, mainly since he got the hang of making smoothies over the past year, and has gotten pretty good at it. He could make a decent living off of this, opening his own smoothie stand in the near future. He has no hope of graduating from Seven Seas High, so might as well do this. He eyed his twin brother across the deck, handing out towels. Yeah, while Cody's at Harvard or Yale or wherever, Zack will still be on the _SS Tipton_ making smoothies. And speaking of Tipton, there was London, walking onto the Sky Deck. She wore a sparkly light-purple dress that glittered in the sunlight, and it showed most of her legs. Her hair was in waves, not its normal Asian straight. Zack stopped what he was doing for a moment and stared at her.

_London is... kinda hot._

Zack started and got back to the smoothies. Of course he's thought London hot, but when has he actually stopped and stared at her because she was?

Never. Mainly because she has always seemed like an older sister to him and Cody. Neither of them would dream to go after her in any romantic way, even if she has billions of dollars. It would just be weird to think of her that way.

Zack glanced up at her as she talked to Cody, most likely asking for help on the history report that they were assigned in class. He hasn't started on it. Cody was most likely done with it—that's his smart, homework-loving twin brother for ya.

London suddenly left Cody and came right up to the smoothie counter, making Zack's heart jump. Now why the heck did it do that?!

"Zack, I need your help," she said as he was making a strawberry banana and kiwi smoothie for a ten-year-old girl sitting at the counter with her mom.

"Hi London. What is it this time?"

"I need help with this history report, and Cody won't help me."

"And you want _me_ to help you? I haven't even started on it. Plus, have you seen my grades?"

"I haven't started on it either, and my grades are horrible, too. We're the perfect team!"

Zack smirked at her dim-wittedness. "London, why don't you go ask Bailey?"

"I did, before I asked Cody, and she said she doesn't want to be used. Now it's your turn to be asked."

I poured the smoothie into a cup and handed it to the little girl, and she gave Zack a smile and thank you, and then a wink. Zack smirked at that, thinking that cute. "Well, I can't help you. I have to work. "

"But I need to at least do this project make Daddy proud. C'mon, we all did so well with that science project."

"You mean the plant that nearly ate you, me, and Woody?"

"Yeah! We got a B on that assignment."

"We got a B because the plant almost ate Ms. Tuttweiller, too, and she said she would give us a good grade if we killed the thing to get it off of her."

London leaned over the counter and gave Zack a pouty face, and he couldn't help but notice her expensive perfume that was actually... really nice. He's noticed her perfume before, but when was he ever affected by it? "Please, please, you're my last chance."

He had to say something so she would back up a bit and not make his nerves go crazy from her nearness. It shocked him that they were doing so for that reason in the first place. "Alright, alright, fine. We can work together. Happy?"

She clapped. "Yay! See you, study buddy!"

She scampered off and Zack thought how bizarre that was, London asking him for help with schoolwork. What was also bizarre was him actually being attracted to her, and the fact that didn't mind working with her again.

What the heck is going on with him?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"So, you're meeting with London tonight to work on the history report? It's kind of strange that she came to you for help.

Zack and Cody were on the way back to their cabins as the sun was setting over the sea. They were in the hallway near their cabin doors. Zack said, "She asked me because you nor Bailey agreed to help her."

"That is because she would make us do all the work. You two have about the same level of smarts, so I think the pairing perfect."

"That's what she said, but in only so many words." He paused and gave his brother a look. "Hey, we are _not_ on the same level of smarts."

"In academics, you're on the same level."

"Hey, I can be pretty smart when it's the real world, like numbers with dollar signs in front of them for example."

Cody nodded. "I admit that you're right. But that's in math. This is history. You pronounce Louis XIV 'Louice Siv'."

They stopped at their cabin doors which were right across from each other. "Hey, that may be true, but I know my history. Remember how we tutored Kirby that time? I have a way of remembering things." He pointed to his noggin.

"And then you forget them the moment the test is over."

"Hey, Zack!"

Both guys jumped from the loud outburst as London came scampering into the hallway in her tall heels. She linked arms with Zack, and he couldn't help but notice that perfume again. "C'mon study buddy! Let's get started. I have to finish this project so I can go shopping in England when we arrive there."

"But we're arriving in England in two weeks," Cody countered.

"Exactly. C'mon!"

She pulled Zack away, and Zack heard Cody shout "Good luck!" and then laugh. Before Zack knew it, he was sitting next to London in her and Bailey's room, and their history book was open in front of them on London's desk that was on her side of the room, but was used as a second vanity desk. Perfumes and makeup adorned the table, and there was just enough space to put the textbook and notebook out.

"Now, let's get this done quick," London said, and Zack smelled that oh-so-nice perfume again. He attempted to ignore it, but it wasn't working. Why couldn't he ignore it?

"Okay, how about I read, and you write?" he suggested.

"Okay!"

Zack started reading from the text book and he noticed that London wasn't writing a thing down in the notebook. She looked over to him. "How do you spell 'history'?"

"I didn't even say 'history.'"

"I know. This report needs a title, duh. I was going to write it at the top of the paper."

Zack thought a moment. He knew London could read better than she could write, even if she read slowly. He guessed she had a point in saying that she wanted to get this done in two weeks—it would take her a whole day just to write a paragraph to this two-page report. A report that was due in a week, but according to her, will take two weeks to write. Same ol' London.

"Okay, how about I write, and you read?" he asked.

"Okay," she chimed and he pushed the textbook over to her as she handed him the notebook. She started reading, slowly as he predicted, and he wrote down what she read, as well as other ideas, even if they had nothing to do with the report. He never understood history, anyway. Or any subject, for that matter. And he might as well get this done so he can hit the buffet before the spicy shrimp runs out. Actually, before Woody gets there. All the food would be gone then.

A few minutes passed as they worked, and then Zack glanced over as London read. He stopped writing and stared at her for a moment. Her skin was super smooth, and her wavy hair shined in the light of the room. Her mouth was pretty attractive as well...

She turned her head to him and he immediately looked away, his heart pounding. What the heck was he doing, checking out London like that? He's never done that before! Something must be seriously wrong with him.

"Zack, why aren't you writing?" London asked.

"Uh..." he stammered, then smirked and tapped a pencil to his head. "Just thinking about how to put all that into my own words."

"But what you're writing is your own words since you're writing them."

There she goes with her dim-wittedness again. "No, I mean, I'm taking what you read and I'm saying it in a different way just so I'm not writing word-for-word from the textbook."

She thought about that a moment, and he wondered if he was being too complicated for her again. "Nevermind," he said. "Just trust me."

"Okay. I trust you, partner."

She got back to her reading, and he couldn't help but smile at the fact that she trusts him. She knew that she wasn't that smart, since she has mentioned it before, and he knew that he was smarter than her. Well, a rock's smarter than her, honestly, but still. She could see that he could actually be some help to her since she knew he was smarter than she is.

An hour passed as Zack wrote slowly, and as London read slowly. Honestly, he was losing patience, and knew that the shrimp was most likely gone from the buffet. Oh, well. At least they were... he glanced at the paper... a paragraph in. _Geeze..._

London yawned. Why did he find that cute? "I'm so tired!" she exclaimed.

"You only read two paragraphs."

"Yeah, and that was tiring, pronouncing all those words."

He chuckled at that and he closed the textbook for her, and he closed the notebook. He really wanted to get out of there, one, since he was hungry, and two, he wanted to get away from London so he wouldn't react to her like he has started doing today. "Okay. Let's call it a night. We'll work on this tomorrow."

"Okay!" she chimed and stood up. "Now leave so I can get ready for bed."

Zack couldn't help but let heat travel up his neck at the thought of London taking off her clothes to change into some scandalous French nightie or something. Golly, he couldn't control his thoughts, could he?

"Hey, why's your face red?"

"What?" he asked, snapping out the fantasy as he stared at her. "Oh, um... nothing. Just tired. I'm gonna go now. Goodnight."

He abruptly left the room and cantered to his own. He about opened his down when someone said, "Hey, Zack!" behind him.

"AH!" he let out in surprise and turned around to find his brother there, giving him and odd look.

"A bit jumpy? What's going on? And why does your face look like a cherry?"

"No reason," he said nonchalantly.

"You met another girl," Cody surmised. "That's not surprising."

Zack stared at his brother for a moment, then pulled him into his room and shut the door. He started pacing around the room, his mind whirling with thoughts. He was surprised that he didn't get dizzy and pass out from them whizzing through his head.

"You alright, Zack?" Cody asked, watching him.

Zack stopped near the side of his bed and met his brother's hazel eyes. "Cody, I think I'm going crazy."

Cody chuckled. "You went gone crazy a long time ago. Pretty much when you were born."

He stepped up to him, his brows creased. "I'm serious. I really am going crazy here."

He went and sat on his bed and stared at his clothes-and-food-covered floor, the smell of which was prevalent in the air. Cody came and stood near the bed, nodding. "Yeah, I can see how you can be going crazy. Working on a history project with London... I mean, she thinks that Columbus was an old bus that had a column in the center of it."

He snickered again and Zack remained silent. Cody stared at him for a moment, trying to read him. Zack felt his face fill with heat even more.

"Okay, what's really going on here?" Cody asked. "What..."

"I think London's hot."

Cody stared at Zack, his mouth open. "You what?"

He met Cody's eyes. "I don't know what happened. I've always looked at her and that was that. But today, when she came up to ask me to help her with her project... there was more. I thought she was hot."

"Well... she is, but we both think of her as a sister. We wouldn't go farther than that." He paused, eyeing Zack's expression. He gasped. "Oh my gosh, you think of her as more than a sister!"

"It's weird, I know, okay? I just can't stop staring at her now." He stood and took Cody's shoulders and said frantically, shaking his shoulders, "I don't want to have the hots for London! I can't! She doesn't even know how to spell her own name!"

"You don't know how to spell her name, either."

Zack paused. "Good point. But I can't have feelings for her—it's weird! And gross!"

"Okay, okay, calm down." He put Zack's arms down. "Now look, we both know that we can't help who we fall for."

"But I always thought of her as stylish dumb rock, who is also my friend since The Tipton. I can't think of her in any other way. I shouldn't think of her in any other way."

Cody folded his arm, an amused smirk on his face. "It's not that big of a deal, you know. You think a lot of girls are hot."

"Yeah, but not many of them make my heart want to pound out of my chest!"

Cody's eyes widened. "London made your heart want to pound out of your chest? Wow, this is more serious than I thought."

Zack groaned and collapsed onto his comforter. "This can't be happening..."

"Good luck with this one, pal."

"You're not helping. Why do I tell you anything, anyway?"

Cody sat on the side of Zack's bed. "Look, Zack, like I said, it's not that big of a deal. Maybe this is just a one-day thing. Tomorrow you'll go back to thinking that London is a stylish dumb rock."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe that pizza I ate for lunch was bad and it's making me crazy."

"Exactly. Tomorrow, you'll be fine."

Zack really hoped he would be. He sat up. "Let's hit the buffet. I'm starving."

"Fine by me."

The boys left the room, and Zack's mind on that shrimp. Maybe the spiciness of it will help him forget his new-found attraction for the daughter of the owner of the ship.


	3. Chapter 3

_I'll admit, it was difficult to get into London's head, but I did my best! I also tried to add the quirkiness that the show has to make it funny. And speaking of that, I think it's fun to mentally add the audience's reactions to things people say and do in the story. It's just like the show lol._

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Zack was manning the smoothie stand as usual, like he does every Saturday morning starting at eight, and London was nowhere in sight. Thank goodness. He hoped not to see her for the rest of the day. He didn't need to be reminded of his unwanted attraction to her, as well as the unwanted feelings he's developed. He was thinking about it as he was trying to fall asleep the night before, thinking about everything he's been through with London. Why is he suddenly having feelings for her now?

"Hey, everyone! I'm here!"

His heart jolted, and he jumped out of his thoughts. He looked over to see her walking onto the Sky Deck. His mouth opened when he saw just how attractive she was in her outfit, a silver and gold outfit that revealed most of her legs, and her shoulders. He groaned in dismay at seeing her and again thinking her hot. When he saw that there were no customers at the counter, and Mr. Moseby went to talk with London about something, Zack quickly went over to the towel counter where his brother was.

"Hey, I still think she's hot," he whispered to him. "You said it would be gone by tomorrow. And today's tomorrow! You lied!"

Cody smirked. "Well, I just didn't want to tell you that when you fall for someone, there's no going back. If you like London, then you like London. That's that. You of all people should know how the heart works. It's actually surprising that you're coming to me for advice about girls."

"I'm not coming to you for advice, I'm just telling you that your advice from yesterday was useless."

Cody gave him a disapproving look, then looked on passed him. "London's coming this way."

"Not falling for it, Cody."

"Hey, guys, watchya doing?"

"AH!" Zack exclaimed, startled, and turned see London standing there. Zack stared at her, his heart hammering inside of him.

"Why are you so jumpy, Zack?" she asked him.

"Oh, um... it's nothing," he lied, his face gaining heat, and he knew that his brother noticed. "I just... I ate some jumping shrimp, so naturally, I would be jumpy."

Cody gave him a look, but they both knew London would buy that. She shrugged. "Okay. So, Zack, can we work on that report now? I want to get it done as soon as possible."

What could he say as an excuse? He remembered his uniform that he was wearing. "I have to work. How about after?"

"How about I give you $200 to skip work and help me?"

He couldn't argue with that! "Deal!"

"No deal," Cody said. "We have to work, Zack. We have to pay for those cards that you maxed out, remember? It's been a year, and we're still paying them back."

"But London could do that for us," he said and his brother shook his head while giving him a stern, almost parent-like look. "Okay, fine."

"Okay," London said. "Just shout the second you're done, partner."

She walked off and Zack stared after her. Cody noticed. "Wow..." he enthused. "You really do have it bad, and for a girl we knew since we were twelve, and the daughter of the owner of this ship. And The Tipton. And the dozen Tipton hotels across the globe, and several pipe lines, and..."

Zack faced him. "Shut up, alright? I get it. And don't you dare say a thing about this to anyone. If you do, I'll throw you overboard and you'll have to rely on your whale speak to get back to civilization."

"It's not whale, it's orca," Cody corrected. "And it's harder than it seems. Their grammar is backwards from ours, like Korean and Japanese."

Zack ignored that and went on back to work. He couldn't help but look forward to when he gets off work, when he gets to spend time with London. When has that ever happened before?

* * *

London walked on away from her blonde twin friends. She'll have to remember not to eat the shrimp because she didn't want to look like a dork, jumping all the time. She always needs to look fabulous and beautiful. She stopped as she was about to head down the stairs to the girls' cabins. She forgot to ask Zack when he's done working at the smoothie stand. She realized that he couldn't just shout to her—the ship was way too big for her to even hear him if he shouted. She'll just tell him to go to her room after he's done.

She turned on her silver heels and made it to the Sky Deck again and saw Zack busy serving up the smoothies. He was talking with a few girls who were dressed in rather atrocious and tacky pastel sundresses: pink, yellow and bright blue. They all looked like Easter eggs.

"I wouldn't be caught dead in either of those dresses," she muttered. "No, I wouldn't even be caught dead in them."

Zack smiled at on of the girls, a blonde, and London's heart leaped. That was odd. She shook that off as Zack continued to smile at that same girl. London stopped for a moment.

Since when has Zack become so... cute? Like, hot-guy cute? He sure has grown up, being what... sixteen now? Maybe? But she always thought of him as a little brother... who's taller than her now, even when she wears heels. He used to be shorter than her shoulders back when they first arrived at The Tipton in Boston.

He smiled again and London's heart started pounding as she stared at him. She patted her chest. "No, stop it, heart. Stop it. Don't think he's cute."

Zack happened to look over in her direction and his eyes widened. Why? Well, all people have that reaction when they see her, and he's no different. But he's never done it before. She walked up to him, and she noticed his face start to turn pink. It must be the warm sun.

"Hey, Zack," she said and he cleared his throat. Was he getting a cold in the warm weather?

"Hey, London. What's up? Again?"

She looked up and pointed. "The sky!" she said, beaming and then laughed.

He smirked, and she found that... cute. Hot-guy cute again. "I mean, why are you here again? Want a smoothie?"

She waved a hand. "No, silly, I want to tell you not to shout when you're done with work since I won't be able to hear you anyway. Just meet me at my room when you're done, 'kay?"

"Okay. See ya at 5, then."

He got back to working and she watched him, and she ever-noticed that smile that he gave to people, as well as the yellow sheen of his hair when the sunshine hit it. She wasn't sure how long she was staring at him and enjoying the view, but it was long enough that he noticed. She walked away before he could ask her anything. As she walked, she thought about that smile, red face and nervous speaking as he was talking to her.

"No, London. Stop it." She put a hand to her chest. "Stop it, heart, I already told you."

She walked on, trying to think of what outfit she's going to change into when she gets back to her room, instead of thinking about the cute twin that she has knows for five years.

* * *

Zack went straight to his cabin after his shift. He was thankful that is was Saturday and he didn't have to go to school. Of course, he's always thankful when he doesn't have to go to school, but this time, he was especially thankful since he wouldn't have to watch London in most of his classes since she was in the same grade as him.

Wait... watch her?

He had to admit again that he has always thought that she was a hot Asian girl, even back when he and Cody first arrived at The Tipton, but she has always been like an older sister. A dumb older sister. But now... something's changed.

And it's freaking him out! He can't possibly have feelings for London Tipton of all people! Of all the girls on the planet, literally, since they're sailing around the world, he has to develop feelings for London, the heiress to the whole Tipton enterprise.

He huffed as he searched for his cologne in his messy room. No, he didn't have feelings for her, he just thinks she's attractive. And cute.

He stopped searching. "Wait, what am I even doing? This is London we're talking about. She's used to me reeking."

He left out of his room and made it down to the girls' cabin area since it was a floor below them and on the other side of the ship. He knocked on London's door. He tried to make his heart stop pounding harder by taking a few deep breaths. He held the last one when the door opened to reveal a very pretty London with that same shiny, wavy hair. She was beaming at him. "Hey, study buddy! Come in!" She pulled him in by the arm and he saw the textbook and notebook on the desk. It was still cluttered with perfume and makeup.

"Hey," he greeted her. She wore a shimmery green dress that went just above her knees, and it was thin-strapped, showing her shoulders. It was a different outfit from what she wore earlier. That intoxicating perfume was the same though.

She suddenly clapped in front of his face, and he jumped. "Hey, what was that for?" he asked.

"You were staring." She flipped her dark hair. "Well, not that I blame you—I'm gorgeous, after all. And you _are _a guy, even if you're a younger one, and one I've known for five years."

He thought her saying that was odd, yet he didn't respond to that. He didn't need to be reminded that she was three years older than him, with her being nineteen. He sat at the desk. "So, let's get going on this," he said and she sat next to him.

"I wish that Cody could help us," she whined.

"You and I both. He's already done with his report. In fact, he's already turned it in. A week ago, before the assignment was even mentioned!"

"That selfish, over-achieving brother of yours, not helping us out," she said, folding her arms and making a pouty face that he found really cute. He eyed her glossy bottom lip jutting out, but he looked away before she could notice. Since when has London had really appealing lips? And... kissable ones?

Okay, he did not just think that about her! "So, page... what was it?" he asked, trying to dismiss the thoughts of kissing London, but she was busy looking at her nails. "London," he chided.

She looked at him. "What? How would I know? I could barely read the words yesterday, let alone the numbers on the page."

"You read fine. Because you read that whole paragraph, we were able to get a couple paragraphs of your report done."

Those appealing lips spread into a smile. "You're right, we did! Yay us!"

She clapped in her usual "Yay me" way. Before, he didn't think anything of it since she did it all the time, but now... it was another one of those things about her that made her cute.

He got back to the book and found the page. "Found it. Here, you can read it again."

"But it's your turn. I did it yesterday and got _exhausted_. I don't think I can take on another paragraph."

"You'll do fine, London."

She shoved his shoulder and gave him a smile. "Since when have you become so nice, huh?"

"Since I was born?" he responded, trying to be suave, and she laughed. He's heard her laugh before, and again, this time, it was pretty cute. Really girly and nasally, but it was so her.

Zack shoved all those thoughts away as London began reading, slowly. He wrote as she read, and fifteen minutes in, she leaned back in her seat and took a breath. She shoved the open textbook in his face, and he had to back his head away so she wouldn't hit his forehead. "Here, you read now. I can't do it any longer."

"How about we take a break?"

"Yay, let's do that!"

She put the textbook back on the desk. She went and sat on her bed and pulled a out little mirror from her pocket and looked at herself, fixing her hair. It looked fine, but he and everyone else knows how vain London is. "Your hair looks fine, London," Zack found himself saying. He's never said that to her before. In fact, he has never given her a complement regarding her appearance.

"Fine? It looks fine?" she asked in a frantic voice and looked into her mirror in horror. "Oh no! It can't be just 'fine'!"

He smirked. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

He stared at her for a moment. "It's gorgeous, London. You don't have to constantly check it."

She put her mirror down and stared at him incredulously. "Of course I have to check it all the time! Don't you check your hair all the time?"

"Not nearly as much as you do." He did a head-swish. "I always know my hair is fabulous." He gave her a smirk.

She came and sat back in her seat at the desk, her brown eyes wide. He couldn't help but think that they were pretty, too. "So do I! And I mean about my hair. Who knew that we would have something in common!" She pointed to his hair. "And by the way, your hair—not fabulous. It would look better with some gel right here."

She put her fingers into his bangs, and a shiver ran up his spine when he felt her fingers touch his scalp. He cleared his throat, trying to dismiss that reaction to her touch. "Hey, you're lucky that there's shampoo in there," he said jokingly, but knew she would believe it. She immediately brought her hand back like she touched a dead rat. "I washed it this morning, relax. It's the first in, what... two weeks?"

She made a face, but then they just stared at each other for a moment, and he noticed something on her face that he hasn't noticed on her before. Maybe it was makeup? Makeup that just appeared there... London was blushing! She looked away and stared at the wall opposite them.

"Break's over," she said suddenly. "Back to work."

She about pulled the text book into her lap, but he grabbed her arm before he could stop himself, and before she could grab the book. "You? Wanting to start working on the project again? Did you eat some bad caviar or something?"

She stared at him further and her cheeks started to get pinker. She snatched her arm away and pulled the textbook into her lap. "No. I told you that I wanted to get this done as soon as possible, so—back to work."

Zack smirked at her reaction to him. They got to work, and he couldn't help but think...

She was reacting like that because of him. His manly pride shot up through the roof of the ship.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Zack lay in bed the next morning, smiling at the ceiling. Since when has he felt this happy about a girl being interested in him? Well, he was pretty sure that she was. Why would she blush so furiously if she wasn't? He grinned to himself as he heard a knock on his door and saw Cody walk in and come up to his bed.

"You're still in bed? It's already 9:15. We have to be on the Sky Deck by 9:30."

"It's Sunday. You're lucky I didn't sleep walk onto the Sky Deck."

Cody chuckled. "You've slept walked before, and let me tell ya, that wasn't pretty. You remember Zombie Mom, don't you?" He came over near the bed and eyed his twin. "What's with the smile?"

"Two words—study buddy."

"Oh..." Cody enthused, understanding. "You're little study date with London went well yesterday?"

"It wasn't a study date," he countered, then paused, and grinned again. "It was, wasn't it?"

"What really happened?"

Zack looked back at the ceiling, remembering London's blushing face. "I discovered something."

"What?"

"London's _so _into me." Cody snorted and Zack gave his brother a look. "Hey, I'm serious. She was blushing most of the time she was with me, especially when we were in close proximity."

"Okay, one, I'm pretty impressed that you used the word 'proximity,' and that you were that close to her to begin with; and two, London wears a lot of makeup."

Zack sat up and creased his brows at his brother. "Her face turned totally pink—I saw it." He smirked. "I knew I had that effect on the ladies." He popped his t-shirt collar.

"Not London. Don't get your hopes up. She still thinks the both of us are annoying kids, and she still gets us mixed up."

"Hey, you don't know what she's thinking. She was _totally_ nervous around me."

"Think what you want, Zack. London will only think that way about you if you suddenly become the heir to some milti-million dollar corporation, and magically grow five inches. Plus, weren't you freaking out that you have feelings for her in the first place? Why are you trying to convince yourself that she has feelings for you, too?"

"I'm not trying to convince myself," he said and lay back down on his pillow and folded his arms behind his head. "I know that she does."

"Whatever you say, Zack." He chuckled and went to the door. "Now let's go. We have to be on the Sky Deck in ten minutes."

"You go first. I'll stay here for a few more minutes."

"London might already be up there, you know. It's her favorite hang-out spot."

Zack paused and stared at his brother for a moment. Having London see him and prove his point would be awesome. "Fine. Give me a minute."

Cody stood near the door as Zack got up and spritzed himself with the cologne that took him thirty minutes to find the night before. It was under a week-old piece of pepperoni pizza on a paper plate. Cody coughed, waving the air because of the cologne. "Hey, is that my cologne that Bailey bought for me that went missing three weeks ago?"

"Maybe."

Cody took the bottle back and put it in his slacks pocket. "Let's go."

The two boys left the room, Zack smiling to himself.

* * *

Good, he's not at work yet. But would he be at work today? It was Sunday. Not many people worked on Sunday. She would know since a lot of clothing boutiques are closed on Sundays, which is completely selfish of them. They should be open all the time so they could serve rich people like her, a person who can give their stores all the money they needed to stay in business. But oh well. Their loss.

London stood near the stairs leading to the deck above the Sky Deck and eyed the smoothie counter. What was she even doing? And why did she make sure she looked extra-gorgeous when that was impossible since she is _always_ at her max level of gorgeousness?

Because—that cute twin became cuter somehow in the past twenty... how may hours are in a day? It doesn't matter. She just knew that he somehow became super hot. Maybe she had only just noticed that he's hot? She shook her head. Nah. She would have noticed before. Someone just turned on the hot button on him. Too bad for Cody—no one bothered to turn on that switch on him yet. Apparently, Bailey was the only who really noticed how attractive he is.

"Hey, London!"

She jumped at the sudden sound of her name and she turned around to face the very twins that she was thinking about. She eyed Zack, who had an amused smile on his face.

"Looks like _someone_ ate the jumping shrimp," Zack said, and she felt heat travel up her neck in embarrassment. She stood as tall as her five-foot-two stature would allow. And in her shiny pink Gucci heels which brought her up a few more inches.

"I didn't eat the jumping shrimp," she said. "I promised myself that would never go near the stuff. I even called the kitchen to make sure they don't serve it on the buffet table."

She nodded her head in finality and both guys continued to smile, amused. Why? "Right," Cody enthused. "Well, I have to start work. See ya."

Cody abruptly left, and Zack stared after him with wide eyes, and he looked a little annoyed. Why would he be annoyed?

"Don't you have to work, too, Zack?" London asked.

"Yeah..." he said, still eyeing his brother. He looked to her. "Well, I guess I should get to that."

He walked away and she turned and watched him go as he wore that hideous work uniform. She felt her heart sink, and she momentarily wondered how she would get it back into the right place into her chest. She wanted to talk to Zack a little longer. No, she shouldn't bother with him, no matter how hot he suddenly became, and how nice as well. She was surprised that he insulted and then complemented her hair the night before, mainly since he's never complemented her before about her looks. She was also surprised that he grabbed her arm suddenly, stopping her from grabbing that textbook. She had locked eyes with him and she couldn't help her face heating up. That only happens when she's around guys that she likes.

Does she like Zack? _Zack? _One of the kids who always causes problems and runs rampant wherever he goes? And someone who she's known for years?

It just didn't make any sense, like most things in her life and on this planet. The only things that really make sense to her are money and fashion. She shook her head and walked across the deck, dismissing those thoughts, and she finger-waved people as she walked by, even if they weren't looking at her. She knew they knew who she was—everyone does after all.

"Excuse me," said a red-headed young woman who came up to her, wearing a tacky blue blouse and khaki capris. "Are you London Tipton?"

Apparently not everyone knew who she was. She'll enlighten this girl who looks around her age. She flipped her hair. "Why, yes, I am London Tipton."

"Oh my gosh, really?"

"Yes. And no pictures, please. Actually, click away."

She posed, and the young woman said, "Oh, there's no need. I already have a poster of you taped to my wall."

London put a hand to her heart. "Oh, really? I'm flattered!"

"Oh, you should be. Mainly because..." She took a step up to her, and her expression turned mean. "I love to use it as a dart board. It's calming, making bulls eyes at the world's dumbest heiress."

The young woman gave London a smug look, and London stared at her as hurt started to pinch the center of her chest. She attempted not to show her reaction to those harsh words. "Oh, well, that's..." she started to retort, but the young woman cut her off.

"What? Are you going to throw that expensive handbag at me? It's most likely faux leather."

London's mouth dropped open, appalled. "It is not fow leather, whatever 'fow' means. This is real leather, imported straight from Italy. In fact, I have five more exactly like it, but in different colors."

"Like I care." She leaned into London's face. "Do you like living off of daddy's money? Have you even worked a day in your life?" She laughed. "Oh, no, probably not. You wouldn't even be able to hold a spatula at Burger World on the eatery deck."

London's lips pursed as she glared at this young woman, fire in her eyes, as well as incoming tears. "I..." she stared, but stopped. How come she couldn't think of a come-back?!

"What was that?" the young woman mocked, giving her a mocking look. "I... what?"

"I think you should leave her alone."

London's heart jumped when she noticed Zack suddenly enter the picture, giving the young woman a mean look. She hasn't heard Zack use _that_ scary tone of voice as long as she's known him, and it was rather low. Has his voice lowered in the past day also?

"Who are you?" the young woman asked Zack, eyeing him.

"One of London's good friends, and I'm not going to let you slander her any longer. Now beat it before I break my rule of not hitting girls."

That smug look was aimed at Zack now, and the young woman stuck up her nose and walked off near the pool. Zack let out a breath and looked at London. She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"What?" he asked. "I wasn't going to let her make fun of you more than she already was. Honestly, I really wanted to punch her."

London didn't say anything and just stared at him. She wanted to hug him, kiss him... do anything to thank him for getting rid of that girl. But instead, she walked away from his presence before she was tempted to do so.

* * *

Why'd London just walk away like that after he rescued her form that mean girl? Wasn't she grateful that he told her off? Wasn't she grateful that he came over and rescued her after he felt his blood boil when he heard that nasty remark that girl made, and ensuing ones? Of course, the girl was right about London being dumb, but she didn't need to say it right into her face.

"Hey, watch it."

Zack got back to what he was doing and noticed that he set the smoothie cup down on the counter harder than he should have and splattered some Tangerine Tango onto the guy sitting there. "Sorry, man," Zack said and eyed the direction London left. He would go to her cabin later on the pretense that they need to work on their report, just to see if she was okay.

Zack worked on until the end of his shift, and Cody came up to him just before seven. "Hey, you wanna hit the tennis court? It's free racket day."

"Tempting, but I have to go meet London for our study date. And I'm willing to call it a study date now."

Cody eyed him for a moment. "Yeah, so what was that about earlier? You stopped a girl from criticizing London, and then London ran off."

"Yeah, I have no idea why she ran off. I'm gonna ask her when I meet her, which is now. I'm off." He left and made it back to his cabin, changed out of his fruity-scented uniform, and soon stood in front of London's cabin door. He knocked.

"Who is it?" asked a small voice from the other side.

"Who else? It's Zack. You want to get that report done, don't you?"

He heard shuffling, and then the door opened. He blinked. London's makeup was smeared all around her eyes. "Hey, you okay?"

She pulled him into her room by his arm as usual and pointed a pink-nailed finger to his face. "Don't you _dare_ say a word to anyone that you saw me like this. If you do, I promise, I'll make your life miserable. I'll call Daddy and make him lower your pay, or take it away completely."

He put his hands up. "Okay, okay, I promise I won't say anything."

She turned away form him and sat on her bed. He eyed the open textbook on the desk and the open notebook. He saw an extra paragraph. He looked to London, pointing at the notebook. "You wrote another paragraph?"

"I had to do something to get my mind off of what happened earlier."

He came over and sat near her on her bed, and faced her. Those insults really hurt her if she was willing to work on the report by herself. "You mean... that girl making fun of you?"

She nodded.

"But that was like seven hours ago."

"Exactly. It took me that long to write that one paragraph. I just hate it when people make fun of me. I know I'm not smart—people don't need to remind me of it. And... people throwing darts at my picture? One, that's really mean, and two, who would want to throw darts at this?"

She indicated her body, and Zack attempted to not have his gaze linger on her chest. He cleared his throat. "Well... everyone has their own opinions."

"But their opinions hurt."

"That's true. Other people's opinions can hurt sometimes."

She eyed him for a moment. "People call you dumb, don't they? What do you do about it?"

She's pretty blunt, but she wasn't wrong. "I think nothing of it because I'm used to it."

She folded her arms and frowned. "Well, I'm not used to it. Like I said, I know I'm stupid. I don't need to be told that I am."

Zack pursed his lips, thinking about how to respond to this in a way that wouldn't hurt her feelings even more. In all honesty, she was probably the stupidest person on the ship. Oh, how mean that sounds. "You're not stupid, London, you're just... different. And people make those comments because they're jealous of you."

She nodded. "It makes sense that people would be jealous of me. Everyone should be. But they don't need to be mean about it."

Zack smirked at her being self-centered again. "Well, people are just mean. It's how the world is."

"But you're not mean. You know, I'm smart enough to know that you came here not to work on the report but to see if I was okay. That was nice of you."

Apparently she _was_ smart enough to figure that out. He smirked in a suave way. "Yeah, well, I can sense when people are feeling bad, but most of the time I do nothing about it. And I guess you're right. You're my friend, and I don't want you to feel bad." He paused, the question he wanted to ask her pushing at his lips. "So... why did you just walk away earlier after I shooed that girl away?"

London pursed her lips and looked into her lap. He's never seen her like this—so torn up and timid. In fact, he's never seem himself like this before, caring so much about what someone thinks and feels. "I... was embarrassed. I didn't want anyone to see me cry. My makeup would run and then I would become ugly like I am now."

Zack shook his head. "London, you're not ugly. You of all people should know that."

"But I am with makeup streaked down my face."

With the amount that was smeared around her eyes, he surmised that Cody was right in saying that London wears a lot of makeup. Also, he surmised that she must have cried a lot. She looked like a raccoon with black smeared around her brown eyes. He said, "Again, you're not ugly. You're just... a raccoon."

Her brows creased. "A raccoon? You think I look like a raccoon? What is that, even?"

"A cute animal. But you're a gorgeous one, not just a cute one."

She stared at him, and he couldn't believe that he just said that. He looked away from her gaze in embarrassment, and looked at her other vanity desk. Heat traveled up his neck and he couldn't stop it.

"You... think I'm gorgeous, Zack?"

He looked back at her, and he attempted to appear cool. "Doesn't everyone?"

"Yeah, but... I guess it means a lot more when it comes from you."

He stared at her makeup-ringed eyes as his heart started to bang against his ribs. And then his gaze went to her mouth. He couldn't take this anymore. He leaned in and kissed those lips of hers. He felt her freeze, and he held himself there for a moment, then disconnected. He stared back at her, eyes wide. He has really done it this time!

"Um, uh..." he stammered. "I was just..."

London suddenly took the back of his neck and kissed him right on the mouth. His eyes widened at the shock of her doing so, but they eased closed as he brought a hand up to her shoulder and kissed her back. He moved his mouth on hers and deepened the kiss, feeling her soft mouth and not wanting to stop feeling it. She was moving her mouth along with his, which made his whole body tingle, including in places that he thought he wouldn't feel tingles for some time. And that perfume of hers was playing with his senses like it's never had before.

He felt her fingers grip the hairs on the back of his neck, which sent shivers up his spine. He didn't want this to stop. But... maybe it should. They were friends! This isn't supposed to happen! He disconnected and the two looked back at one another. He turned away from her, his heart hammering and his face feeling like it was on fire.

"I uh... I have to go."

He stood up and went to the door. He took the door handle.

"Zack, wait just a minute."

He froze, and he heard London get off the bed and walk up behind him. His heart has never hammered so hard before, so hard, he had to wince with every pound since each of them hurt. He turned and faced her, and her face was flushed pink under all that smeared makeup.

"Look, that was..." he began, wanting to explain, but he couldn't think of what to say.

"Yeah, I know—not supposed to happen. Why'd you do it?"

He gave her a look. "Why'd _I_ do it? Why'd _you_ do it?"

"I asked you first."

"Well, ladies first."

They stared at each other for a long moment. London folded her arms. "Fine. Let's just pretend that this never happened."

He frowned. "Right. See you at tomorrow at school."

He didn't give her time to respond since he was out the door in a second. He ran to his cabin, not even realizing that he passed his brother on the way. He collapsed on his bed right as Cody walked in. "Hey, what's going on?" Cody asked. "You're face is redder than I've ever seen it."

"Go away, Cody," Zack said into his pillow.

Cody shut the door and stood near the bed. "You went to go see London, right?"

"Yeah..." Zack said, still a bit dazed.

Cody sat on the bed, next to Zack laying there. "What happened, Zack?"

Zack has told his brother pretty much everything, even when he didn't want to and he could figure it out anyway. He'll save him the trouble. "I'm sunk."

"Why?"

"I kissed London."

"You _what_?"

Zack sat up and faced his brother. "I kissed London, alright? We were talking and... it just happened."

Cody's eyes gleamed with excitement. "And? How did she react? I have to hear this one."

Zack thought about that amazing experience and smirked. "Well, I have to say that you were wrong again. She totally kissed me back. And I mean, _really_ kissed me. That kiss was deeper than the ocean this ship's floating on."

Cody made a face. "Okay, too much information. But I can't believe she actually kissed you back! I wasn't expecting that one."

"Well believe it. Told you she was into me."

"Are you sure she wasn't just hurt form earlier and you just took advantage of that?"

Zack gave him an appalled expression. "What? No. I'm not that shallow." Cody gave him a look. "Well, okay, maybe sometimes I am, but I wasn't this time. Sure, she was still hurt from that whole situation, but she was so beautiful just sitting there with makeup smeared all over her face from crying, I just... I couldn't help it. And..." He popped his shirt collar and smirked. "She couldn't resist kissing me back, either. In fact, she took the back of my neck and brought my head closer and slammed her mouth on mine. The woman's an animal!"

Cody put up a hand. "Okay, again, too much information. But... I'm happy for you, Zack. You seem to really like London, and I mean not in the sleazy way you like other girls."

"I don't like girls in sleazy ways."

"How many girls have you claimed to be in love with since we were five? And how many girls' numbers do you have in your phone?"

Zack thought about that a moment. "Good point. And... maybe you're right. I admit it. I like London, after five years of knowing her. And... I'm sunk, more than when _Titanic_ hit that iceberg."

"You paid attention in history class?"

"No, I saw the movie."

Cody shook his head at that. Typical Zack. "Well, all the same, I'm happy for you. So, what are you going to do the next time you see her?"

Zack huffed and felt irritation and hurt prick his chest. "Well, she said that we should just pretend that the kiss never happened, so... I guess nothing."

"Seriously? She wants to pretend that it never happened?"

"Yeah. But I know for a fact that I won't forget it, and neither will she, no matter how airy her head is."

"Speak for yourself. You two are perfect for each other." He slapped a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck."

"Thanks, man."

He's gonna need it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The knocking didn't stop and Zack just sat there on his bed, glaring at his cluttered floor. It has been only one day, and he was still fuming about what happened. He couldn't believe that London wanted to pretend that their kiss never happened. Why? Because they were friends and she wanted to keep it that way? Because she was embarrassed? Both?

He groaned. Whatever it is, he hated it. Cody walked in as Zack continued to glare at his floor, thinking about that kiss and how amazing it was. He definitely couldn't pretend that it didn't happen.

"Hey, Zack, c'mon. We'll be late for school."

"Not going."

Cody eyed his brother's glare. "Are you really that afraid to face London?"

"No, I just hate school."

"And you're afraid to face London."

Zack pursed his lips. He couldn't keep this from his smart brother who would figure out what was going on with him. "Fine. Maybe I am. But I'm the one doing her a favor. With me not being there, I'm taking away the temptation."

"Temptation?" Cody questioned, an amused smirk on his face.

"Yeah. She totally digs me, and if I'm not there, she won't be tempted to fall into my lap."

"And you won't be tempted to fall into hers?" Zack stayed silent, knowing that his brother had a point. "Let's just get to class. You can hide behind me when she's around if you want to."

"Why would I hide behind you?"

"Because I happen to be an inch taller than you."

He gave Zack a proud smile and Zack shook his head. The guy was right after all, as much as he hated that he was. "Whatever. Let's just go and get school over with."

"You guys still have to work on that report, you know."

"The report we're working on is hers. She can work on it and I'll work on mine. Separately. Maybe."

They left and met Woody near the school entrance. They went into their first class of the day, history, and London was sitting right there in a desk near the door. She looked over and saw the twins, but simply looked back and went back to looking at her nails.

"Ouch, you got ignored," Cody whispered, and Zack gave him a look and went and sat down at his desk, which was a few desks behind and a row over form London. He stared at her sleek and straight brown hair. Why did she have to look so hot today, when he was trying to dismiss how he felt when they kissed?

"Hey, Zack," he heard and looked over at Pamela, a cute girl who he knew had the hots for him since she would sometimes stare at him in this class and others. He swished his hair at the cute blonde and gave her a smirk.

"Hey, Pamela, what's up?"

"Nothing. You just... look really good today."

He noticed her pink cheeks, as well as London turning to look behind her at them. He should play this up. "Well, you look really good today, too, Pamela. Actually, you always do."

He winked and she girl giggled, and Zack heard London make an 'uhg' sound. He also heard her mutter, "I'm way more beautiful than that horribly-dressed girl."

Zack grinned, loving that he was making London jealous. Heck, he just loved that she was jealous period. That proves that she was definitely impacted by their kiss.

The class started, and in every one of the classes he shared with London, Zack made an effort to flirt with a girl. And every time, London would make that jealous face. Oh, how he loved that. Deep in his gut, though, he knew this was wrong.

"Zack, what are you doing?"

Zack faced his brother as they walked back to their cabins after school. He knew that his brother would catch on to what he was doing. They were walking next to the railing of the ship, and the sea wind whipped their blonde hair. "What? It's just a little experiment."

"An experiment that is actually the first experiment that you have done that works, and I'm shocked that it is. Why are making London jealous?"

"She wanted to pretend that kiss never happened, so this is me, pretending that kiss never happened."

"Well, I think she's pretending as well."

"What?"

Cody pointed to London a ways down the railing, near to the Sky Deck, and she was talking to and smacking the arm of some good-looking brown-haired guy. She was laughing as he leaned in and whispered something in her ear. She laughed again and smacked his arm. Zack's teeth clenched as he watched the two.

"I guess two can play at this game," Cody commented. "Wow, you're so jealous. You're sending daggers at them with your eyes."

Zack made his expression soften and he stood dignified. "No, I'm not jealous."

"Yeah, you are."

Zack eyed them again, and London happened to look over. Her brows rose when she saw them, and she went back to talking with that guy. She linked arms with him and they walked away. "Oh, it's on now," Zack said, determination elevating in him.

"What is?"

"If she wants to play dirty, we'll play dirty. Where's Pamela?"

Cody gave Zack a disbelieving look and grabbed his arm before he could stalk away. "Are you seriously going to hurt Pamela's feelings by making her think that you have feelings for her when you're really just with her to make another girl jealous?"

"Exactly."

"Zack," he chided in that tone that their mother has used on him countless times.

"What? London's doing the same thing."

"That doesn't make it right. How about you just talk to London without you guys torturing each other? It's pretending, not no talking."

"Oh, we'll talk, when she begs to have me back."

"Have you back? You guys were never together."

Zack patted Cody's shoulder. "Just let me do what I need to do."

He left and made his way to the Sky Deck. As his luck would have it, Pamela was right there at the smoothie counter, sipping a smoothie, and London was off near the stairs talking to that same guy. She was in perfect view. Zack went up to Pamela, and he had that nagging feeling in his gut again, telling him that Cody was right and this wasn't a good idea. But he went on anyway.

"Hey, Pamela."

She turned and saw him, and smiled. "Hey, Zack."

"Needed something sweet for something sweet?"

She giggled and he sat on the stool next to her. "Oh, Zack, you're such a charmer."

He swished his hair and smirked in his suave way. "Well, I can't help it when I'm in the presence of a gorgeous girl."

She giggled again and he made a glance at London, who was staring at them with flames in her eyes. She looked back at the guy she was with and smiled away at something he said. Zack felt his chest pinch with jealousy. He turned a bit on his stool and pretended to stretch and placed his arm around Pamela's shoulders. "Do you mind if I leave my arm here?" he asked her.

"No, I don't mind," she said, giving him a cute smile. "I don't mind at all."

She leaned in a gave him a kiss on the cheek. He glanced at London again, and saw her mouth drop open, and her face scrunch up. Zack turned his head to face Pamela, which made her face very close to his. Her cheeks very pink, she started leaning in, and Zack was about to kiss her when he saw, in the corner of his vision, London lean in to that guy and kiss him! Zack's eyes widened and his pulse rose in more jealousy than he has ever felt. He glared at the two as they broke apart, and London made a point to look back at him. She walked off with the guy, a hand on his arm.

"She's gonna pay for that one," he muttered.

"What are you talking about?"

Zack snapped back to Pamela and let out a bit of laughter. "Um, nothing. I uh, actually, I have to go."

"What? But..."

"See you in class tomorrow."

He left her, knowing that he would have to explain tings to her later, and went back to his cabin. He paced around it, having the intense desire to punch that guy in the face. His cabin door opened and in came Cody. "Hey, Zack."

"Don't talk. I need to figure out how to get London back for this. And figure out how I'm going to push that guy overboard and make it look like an accident."

Cody walked more into the room and folded his arms. "Yeah, I saw that little soap opera going on up on deck. It's better than the Spanish soap opera that Bailey made me watch with her last week. Why can't you and London just talk about this?"

"Oh, we'll talk. In fact, I'm going to text London right now and tell her that we have to work on her report."

"I thought you were going to do it separately now."

"That was the plan before, but now, this will give me the chance to tell her that Pamela and I are an item."

"And what good will that do?"

"It will make her see that she dumped the wrong guy."

"For the last time, you two never went out! You're just mad that she said to forget that whole kiss when, really, it was a huge deal."

Zack paused and stared at his brother for a moment. For the thousandth time, he was right. Zack went and sat on his bed and Cody followed and sat next to him. "Fine," he confessed, defeated. "You're right. I think that was the best kiss I've ever had in my entire life and she went and said that it shouldn't have happened like it meant nothing."

Cody nodded, understanding. "I think you should just tell her that it meant something, and that you really like her. And she kissed you back, and made you jealous on purpose, so she definitely likes you, as shocking as that is."

He gave Cody a look. "Hey, how is it shocking? I happen to be extremely good-looking and charming."

"Psht, think what you want. But seriously, talk to her about all this, alright?"

Zack huffed. "Fine."

"Text her like you said you would and go and work on that report. That's a start."

Zack pulled out his flip-phone and got to it. London instantly texted back and said, or more ordered him, to come to her room. Zack smirked. "I just love girls asking me to go to their rooms, and she used three exclamation points, which means she shouting at me to do it."

Cody shook his head and chuckled. "Just go."

"Right."

He left, and on the way there, he thought about what he should say to London. Should he reveal how much the kiss really meant to him? He's not a sentimental guy - that was Cody - so what should he say? He'll think of something. He strode into the girls' cabin hallway and soon stood in front of London's door. Heart pounding, he knocked, and, like always, she opened it and pulled him in. He didn't have a chance to say a thing. She pointed a finger at his face.

"Okay, mister, we are going to work on this report until we're purple in the foot. No breaks, no nothing."

"Okay, first off, the term is blue in the face; and second, fine by me."

They both sat down at the desk and just sat there, Zack with the notebook open, and London with the textbook open on the wrong page. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became very thick and very awkward. "So... are you going to start reading?" he asked and looked over at her. Again, she looked beautiful, with her hair straight an sleek. He wondered if that guy from earlier asked her out.

"Yes." She turned to face him, her pretty brown eyes fiery. "But not until you tell me what the heck is going on with that little blonde, horribly-dressed girl at the smoothie counter."

He turned to face her as well, the same fire in his own eyes. "Well, not until you tell me what's going on that that sleazy, chicken-legged freak you were making out with earlier."

"I wasn't making out with him!"

"Sure looked like it."

"But what about you? You almost kissed that girl."

"No, she almost kissed me. Actually, she did, and on the cheek. I can't help it if the chicks dig me."

"Well I can't help it if men can't resist me, either. He was five years older than me, you know."

"Oh, so you asked his age before you lip-locked him?"

"No, he told me so. And I look good with older men."

"Yeah, well..." he tried to think of a come-back, but failed. "I look good with... girls my age."

"Well, that's great!"

"Yeah, it is! Have a great time with your old geezer."

"And you have fun with that trashy blonde of yours!"

They turned away from each other and both folded their arms. He noticed her glance over at him, and he glanced at her back. When both noticed, they faced the front again, pouting. Time ticked by, and Zack's heart pounded hard inside of him. He glanced over at her and saw that she didn't have a mean face, but a... sad one.

"London."

Her face went back to a mean expression. "I'm not talking to you."

"Hey, look, I came here to talk, not argue."

"Well, arguing is talking, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but..." He turned to face her. "Okay, I'm just going to say it. We kissed. It happened, okay? Now let's talk about it and not try to make each other jealous."

Her eyes widened and she turned to him. "I made you jealous? My plan worked. Yay me!"

She clapped, and he had to let out a smirk. "Yes, okay, you did. And, I have to say I did a pretty good job at making you jealous." He gave her a proud look.

She thought a moment. "Yeah, I guess you did."

Yes, his plan worked as well! But it was obvious, considering her efforts of making him jealous. "So... about that kiss... you're totally into me, aren't you? I mean, you kissed me back."

"I kissed you because I suddenly started liking you, and I was shocked that I did. I couldn't help but kiss you back."

He loved that her low smarts made her blindly honest. "Really?"

She nodded. "M-hm. And you kissed me first, which means you like me. Did it happen suddenly like me?"

He might as well tell her. "Uh, yeah... it did. I mean, I've known you since I was twelve, so I was kind of shocked that it happened now, and since I saw you as a sister before." She nodded, and he knew he had to finish his confession... "Yeah, and that kiss... I've kissed a lot of girls in my time, and I have to say that ours was the best that I've ever experienced. I mean... wow."

Her brown eyes gleamed. "Really? Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. I mean, I'm gorgeous, anyway. And these lips? Irresistible."

"Yeah, I know."

They stared at each other for a moment, and Zack found himself leaning in, and she did as well. Their lips met, and something shot through his system, making his heart pulse. He brought a hand up to the back of her neck and moved his mouth over hers, and it felt oh-so good.

They broke apart and stared at each other. She made a face. "This is weird."

"Yeah, I agree."

"Want to do it again?"

"Yeah."

They both leaned in and kissed each other again. Zack figured that he would ask her out after he was done kissing her, which, honestly, he didn't want to stop doing. Who knew that he would end up like this with London Tipton? It was shocking, but it felt right.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"So you're dating London, but in secret?"

Zack and Cody stood in the school hallway near their lockers the day after his and London's "study session," and Zack leaned in to Cody after looking around. He whispered hastily, "Hey, don't say that so loud, will ya? The whole point of it being secret is not letting people find out about it."

"People will find out. This is the first time you've ever dated someone. And to think, it's London, someone who you've been friends with for a while. You know, friendship is the beginning to romance."

"Yeah, you've told me that before."

"So what are you going to do about Pamela?"

Zack leaned against his locker. "I'm gonna tell her the truth."

Cody patted Zack's shoulder. "Good for you, Zack. And... here's your chance."

"What?"

Cody pointed over to Pamela just down a few lockers from them. She glanced at Zack and gave him a smile. It's now or never. He walked up to her, but stopped and stared at who was walking down the hallway behind her. It was that tall guy who was with London! He's a high school student? She said that he was five years older than her!

Annoyed that this guy lied to London, Zack walked on passed Pamela and came up to the guy who stood a several inches taller than him. _Whoa, he's taller than I anticipated._ Nonetheless, Zack said, "Hey, man."

"Hi. Do I know you?"

"No, but you know a friend of mine. Her name's London Tipton, and she told me about a guy that she met yesterday, a guy who, very coincidentally, looks like you."

Slight alarm encumbered the guys features. "You must be mistaking me for someone different. There are a lot of guys on the ship who resemble me."

"Maybe. I think I would recognize the guy who was lip-locking my friend yesterday on the Sky Deck. I work at the smoothie counter—I see things."

The guy pursed his lips. He cleared his throat and stood tall. "Well, again, you mistook me for someone else."

Zack really needed to get somewhere with this guy. He held up his hands in defeat. "Okay, fine. I was just saying that if you were that guy, I was going to tell London to pay you a thousand bucks since that's what she does when she starts dating a new guy. But, since you're insisting that you're not that guy, and you are in high school, not five years older than she is, then... oh well. Just wanted to do you a favor, man."

Zack walked on passed him, and he only took two steps before the guy said, "Wait, hold on a second." Zack smirked. He turned around. "Okay, maybe I was that guy. London said that she likes older guys, so I told her that I was five years older than her."

"London said she likes older guys?" No, he needs to be serious. "Is that so? Well, I guess I'll go tell London that she owes ya. That is, if you're serious about her."

"Oh, yeah. She's beautiful, she's rich... what else matters, right?"

Zack creased his brows. Sure, London was rich and beautiful, but there was a lot more about her that made her appealing. "So the only thing going for is the fact that she's rich and beautiful?"

"Yeah. She's as dumb as a post, which makes a relationship far easier."

"As dumb as a post?" Zack repeated, agitation pinching his chest.

"Yeah. I mean, you know her, so you know that she doesn't even know how to spell her last name. Heck, she had to stop and try to remember it when I asked what her name was. Who doesn't remember their own last name? I mean, that's just sad."

Anger pulsed through Zack, and before he could stop himself, Zack pushed the guy into the nearest trash can, which brought on the attention of everyone in the hallway. Cody ran up to the scene.

"Zack! What are you doing?!"

"Trying to teach this sleaze not to go bad-mouthing one of my best friends." He came up close to the guy and said to him, "London may be what you said, but she is much more than that. She's funny, adorable, and a great friend. You just try to start a relationship with her. If you do, you'll find yourself swimming to the nearest island in a bucket."

He stalked away from him, but stopped when he came up to Pamela. Her mouth was open in shock. "Oh my gosh," she gushed. "Zack, that was amazing! It was so sweet of you to defend your friend like that."

"Yeah, well, when people say horrible stuff about the people I care about, they have something coming to them."

She stood up close to him and gave him a smile. "That's a really admirable quality."

He saw that look in her eyes, and he knew he had to explain. "Pamela, look... you're a great girl, and your beautiful, but... what happened yesterday, I was just trying to make another girl jealous."

Hurt appeared in her features. "Oh..."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used you like that."

She nodded. "Well, I guess I thought it was too good to be true, the guy I've been crushing on starting to like me."

Zack felt that male pride shoot up at finding out that she indeed had a crush on him, but still, he felt bad. "Hey, there are plenty of other guys out there, guys who are a heck of a lot better than me." He looked off that the guy still in the trash can, and saw that someone was trying to pull him out of it. "Just stay away from that guy."

"Will do. So... I guess I'll see you in class."

"Yeah, see you."

She walked on and Zack stood there, watching after her. Of course, when he and London start something, he finds out that another hot girl likes him. Oh well.

"Hey, I think you sprained that guy's pelvic bone."

Zack turned around and found Cody there. "He deserved it."

"He did, but... let's just say it's a good thing a teacher wasn't around. You would be in detention until next year."

Zack folded his arms. "London's worth it. And I think I did pretty well in masking our relationship. It's gonna stay a secret at this rate."

Cody looked behind Zack. "Tell that to London."

"What?"

Zack turned and saw what Cody was pointing at. London came walking into the hallway, wearing a shimmery and stylish white "I Love Zack" T-shirt, but the "Love" part was a large red heart. People gaped at her and pointed and whispered. Alarm pulsed through Zack and he went up to her and dragged her down the hallway and around a corner.

"Hi, Zackie!" she greeted him cheerfully. "Have you seen my shirt?"

"Yeah, I did. And I'm flattered that you're so into me and all, but we agreed that we would keep our relationship a secret, remember? Honey?"

She smiled, and he physically felt his limbs weaken at the sight. That has never happened before with any girl he was interested in. "I am, silly. I haven't said a word of it to anyone, just like we agreed yesterday."

"But you're basically saying it with your shirt, even if you're not physically saying anything with your mouth."

She paused for a second, thinking. She nodded. "I guess you have a point. But don't you want people to know that you're dating the rich and fabulous me?"

She made a pose, and he smirked at how cute it was. She had a point, too. Why keep the fact that he's dating London Tipton a secret? Her dad owns the boat, the hotel he once lived in, several other hotels and boats and maybe even countries, and she's filthy rich. People will treat him like a king. But what will happen when her dad finds out about he and London, knowing how much he dislikes him and Cody?

"Um..." Zack said, a but conflicted, "believe me, London, I want to tell everyone, but... I'm just worried about what your dad will think."

"Daddy? Why would he care?"

"Because I'm one of the troublemakers that nearly destroyed his hotel, and almost sunk his ship with an anchor that I broke. You remember that."

She slapped his arm playfully. "Well, obviously you didn't sink the ship, so he would be fine with you dating me."

He shouldn't explain farther, knowing that London's going to contradict everything he says, whether she knows she is or not. "Okay, but let's just not tell anyone else, okay?"

"It's too late for that. Everyone knows already."

Zack looked around and saw that most of the kids in the hallway were looking at them. Well, the cat's out of the bag, and it hasn't been in there for that long.

* * *

"Zack, you're dating London Tipton?"

"How'd you manage that?"

"Do you guys go on dates to Paris and Milan?"

"Has she given you your own jet?"

Kids hovered around him the next day at school in history class, the first class of the day, hammering him with questions. Thankfully, London hasn't arrived yet. "Okay, okay, one at a time," he said, silencing everyone, but then they continued firing questions at him. He heard Woody say,

"Wow, she must have lowered her standards drastically if she was willing to date you."

Zack gave his new friend a sarcastic look. "Thanks, man. But..." He popped his black t-shirt collar. "She just couldn't resist the good looks and charm that is 'The Zack'."

"Yeah, and you couldn't resist her money," said some random guy who Zack hasn't met before. The other kids agreed. It shocked Zack that when he was realizing he had feelings for London, at times, he forgot that she was filthy rich. Sure, they went out on a shopping spree and Zack now has a new wardrobe, an expensive one, but the majority of the time, he forgets that she's rich and he just likes spending time with her. It was shocking, considering Zack loves money.

"Look, I don't care that she's rich," he defended to his classmates, but he knew that was only half a lie.

"Yeah, right," said Woody. The guy knew Zack too well.

"There's more to London than just her money, you know," Zack countered.

At that exact moment, London walked into the classroom holding a wad of cash in her hands, and looked as if she was counting it. Thankfully, she changed out of the "I Love Zack" shirt. Everyone stared at her when she walked in and she noticed.

"Hi everyone! Here's little me, with a lot of money!" She spotted Zack. "Oh, and there's my honey!"

"Hey, sweet thang," he said back, giving her the finger points and a wink. Might as well—people know now.

"So... there's more to London Tipton than money, huh?" Addison asked, and Zack pursed his lips as London still handled all that money as she sat in her seat. "You're _so_ dating her for her money."

London looked back at the group, her brows creased. She put her money away and turned back to the front. Zack's chest pricked in irritation, and before he could go and explain, Ms. Tuttweiller came into the room and started the class. He didn't pay attention at all during the class, which wasn't out of the ordinary for him, but he wasn't paying attention for a different reason this time. He sensed that London was hurt.

Class ended, and Zack stopped London outside of the classroom. "Hey, London, look, what everyone said before class about me dating you for your money, it's not true."

She shrugged. "I wouldn't blame you if you were. I _am_ rich."

"Yeah, but, well... I admit that it's a perk, and I love my new wardrobe, but like I said in there, there's more to you than your money."

"Duh, I know there is. I'm gorgeous, and I'm a good kisser."

He couldn't argue with that! "Yeah, you are, but I mean other than those things."

She stared at him for a moment, and he guessed that she really couldn't think of anything else about herself that was appealing. He'll just tell her. "London, you're adorable. And I mean the little things you do, like the 'Yay me's' and your..." How could he phrase dim-wittedness kindly? "The fact that you're pretty clueless about things... it's all really cute."

She thought a moment. "So... you like me not for my money and looks, but for the other things about me that make me... me?"

She actually understood! "Yeah, exactly. And, being rich and beautiful are great perks, too, like I said."

"Aww!" she gushed with a wide smile and took him by the shoulders and planted a kiss right on his mouth. Kids around definitely saw and gasped, and Cody stared opened-mouthed at his twin brother kissing a girl they knew for years. London leaned back and Zack was slightly stunned at the sudden contact of her lips on his. London said, "Well, I like you in the same way. I don't care that you're poor and almost destroyed Daddy's hotel and his ship."

Zack didn't know what to say, so he just smirked and nodded. London pulled him into a hug. "Buy, sweetie!"

She was off and Zack stood there and barely noticed the kids standing around him, asking him more questions. He stared after London, not believing that he found a girl that he didn't just want to aimlessly flirt with like he has done countless times before. He's serious this time, which startled him, and it's kinda scary.

Is he actually... falling in love with her?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Her Zackie is just so cute, she could gobble him up! As they grew up, the twins had always wreaked havoc wherever they went, and Zack was the more troublesome of the two. He was cocky, and has flirted with almost every girl he sees... But now, he's different. He's sweet, and likes her for her and not for her money like a lot of other guys do. There had been a few who didn't care that she was rich, but she only knew them for a short time. She knew Zack for five years, and he knows very well how she is and likes her for it. That just made her so happy, and forced her to kiss him right there outside of the classroom in from of his brother and everyone else. Even the teacher!

London pulled out her phone as she walked on to her next class. She was sad that she didn't have it with Zack. Boy, does she like that boy! She pulled up his text messages and texted him a cute note: "Can't wat to see ya agan sweety!" she said as she typed.

She knew that she couldn't spell, but he'll get the message. Ha, literally! Maybe he thinks that her inability to not spell correctly is cute, too.

She sent the message and continued to look at her phone until she literally ran into a wall. "Ow!" she yelped and rubbed her forehead. She's never been this distracted by a guy before. And it's Zack! She still couldn't believe that she's dating the guy.

Two classes later, she walked into her math class and saw kids in a group around Zack. She saw him through everyone, and, like the class she had with him earlier, they all turned and looked at her. She smiled and waved at them, then wiggled her fingers at Zack, but he didn't do that cute point-and-wink thing. He sat there, arms folded, and frowning. Her chest pricked with hurt. What? Why wouldn't he be happy to see her? Didn't he get her text?

She sat down, and all she could think about and feel was Zack's foul mood. He sat two desks behind her, and she could really feel his stare. She didn't understand the term until now - it was like something was poking into her back. Class went on, and she still felt that poking feeling. At the end, she heard a guy say to his friend, "Yeah, he's definitely dating her because she's hot and rich. There's not much else going on, especially if she was willing to date Zack."

The center of her chest hurt at that comment, and she noticed Zack come up to the guy and grab him by the shoulder and turn him around. "Hey, how about you say that again, huh?" he said in an agitated voice. London noted the fire in his eyes.

"Uh, nothing," said the guy and he walked off. Zack looked around at the other kids.

"Anything else you all want to say about me or London?" he demanded. "Huh?"

The kids left hastily, and soon, it was just he, London and the teacher in the room. The middle-aged woman was turned facing the board, erasing it.

"Seriously, I want to punch them all," Zack muttered.

"What? Why?" London asked, shocked that he was this angry.

"Why do you think? All day so far, I've been having to hear crap like how you're dumb and I started dating you because you're rich, and how you're dating me because you don't know what you're doing. I just... I'm sick of hearing it."

She stood up out of her seat and faced him. "Is that why you looked mad before class?"

"Yeah. They all just wouldn't stop."

She smiled gratefully and wrapped him in a hug. He smelled nicer than he usually does—some sort of cheap men's cologne. But it was nice on him. "Thanks, sweetie, for telling them off. You know, they're just jealous."

He wrapped his arms around her, and she loved how strong they were. "Yeah, maybe. If I hear any more of it, I swear..."

"You know, this makes me think that you're pretty serious about all this."

He pulled her back and gave her a serious, yet sweet look. "I am. I'm serious about you."

Oh, how she loved hearing that! "I'm serious about you, too. Even if you're poor and are wearing cheap cologne."

He snickered and held onto her. They heard someone clear their throat. They parted and looked over at their teacher giving them a look. "Take it outside, you two lovebirds, for heaven's sake. I'm feeling my breakfast come up."

"You know, my daddy's in charge of your pay," London quipped.

"I don't care. Get on to your next class, the both of you."

"Way to ruin the moment," Zack muttered, and he and London went outside the classroom as students passed by. He faced her. "So... see ya."

"Did you get my text?"

"No." He checked his phone, and he smirked. "Now I have. Well, you've seen me."

"And I can't wait to see you again."

"But we have the next class together.

"Exactly. That means I can keep on seeing you."

He put his arm around her shoulders, and she smiled as he did so. She loved the feeling of having him near her. They walked and passing people eyed them and whispered. "If anyone insults you or says anything about the two of us, tell me," Zack said. "I'll put them in their place."

"And if anyone does the same, and I hear it, I'll put them in their place also. Or I can just throw them off the ship. Because of Daddy, I have that power."

"I like your thinking. That's my girl."

She smiled and pointed at her cheek. He got the message and planted a kiss there, and she felt tingles from where his lips touched her skin. She hasn't felt that with any other guy before. In fact, she's _never_ felt this happy with any other guy before...

_Oh my gosh, I think I'm falling in love with him!_

* * *

Two weeks passed, and the new couple spent as much time as they could together. They finished both of their reports, but that didn't stop Zack from stopping by London's room to hang out, even if it was against the rules to do so. Zack was still Zack, after all.

"I'm surprised that you two have lasted this long," Cody commented as they walked to class on Monday morning and neared the school's entrance. "Before, you could barely hold onto a girl for a day, let alone fourteen."

"Well, London and I are just that great, and she adores me." He popped his collar, as he has done before.

"It's still shocking that I can agree with that, considering how much she hangs off of you. And it's easy to see that you adore her, too."

"You bet I do. She's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me." Cody snickered at that, and Zack figured he thought he was exaggerating, but London has made him a better person and not wreak havoc constantly on the ship. He spotted his beauty. "And speaking of which, there's my honey now."

London was walking towards them, but she was looking down at her phone, busy texting. Zack walked up to her. "Hey, sweet thang," he greeted her and she looked up as he put an arm around her. Oh, how he loved that perfume. A beaming smile crossed her face.

"Hey, Zackie!"

"Have I mentioned that I love it when you call me that?" he asked her and kissed her cheek and she giggled. Cody left them, still snickering. Zack knew that his brother was happy for him.

"So, want to skip class and lounge near the pool all day?" she asked as they started walking and people passed them. Everyone has gotten used to seeing them together. In fact, they were the most talked about couple on the ship. At London's question, Zack felt his heart jumped at the thought of seeing London in a bikini. He still has yet to see it.

"Heck yeah, I would."

"Then let's play hookie today."

"Fine by me."

Okay, so maybe where school was concerned, he hasn't changed a bit. They walked on and London's phone rang and she answered it. "Oh, hi, Daddy." She eyed Zack. "Yes, I'm on my way to class." Silence. "Yes, okay... okay. Bye, Daddy."

She folded her phone and put it back in her purse. "What was that about?" Zack asked.

"Daddy said that he contacted all my teachers and asked them to make sure that I'm in class today, and he said bribing them won't work this time."

Zack huffed. "So... no pool?"

"No..."

Seeing London in a bikini will have to wait, then. "Well, there are plenty other days when we can play hookie."

"Daddy said that he's going to check with the teachers every day."

They walked into the main hallway to Seven Seas High and kids bustled about. Zack and London stopped at Zack's locker, and he leaned against it. "Well, can't say that we didn't try. So, does your dad know that you're dating me yet?"

"No. He just knows that I'm dating someone." She leaned close to him and snuggled into his side, and he loved the feeling of it. "Someone that I'm crazy about. And when he asks for details, I just say that I have to go."

"So... he doesn't know it's specifically me?"

"Nope. Unless he was told by someone we know here and he just hasn't said anything."

"Knowing how popular we have become around here, someone has definitely said something. I wonder why he hasn't bothered to ask about it yet."

"Maybe he's fine with it."

Zack smirked, and cooed, "Well, of course he would be after knowing how well we get along and how much I adore you."

She full-on hugged him right there in front of everyone. "Aw, I adore you, too, Zackie!"

I held onto her, loving the feeling of holding her to him. He figured that it would never get old. As he held her, that three-word phrase pushed at his lips, but they stayed there. Cody has nagged him about telling London how he really feels, he has just not found the right time to say it. And this is after Cody bragged that he has already told Bailey that he loves her.

"Hey, get a room you two!"

They undid themselves from each other and saw Woody there, along with Cody and Bailey. Zack brought his arm around London. "You're just jealous that I have a hot, beautiful girlfriend, Woody."

"I think you two are absolutely adorable," Bailey said. "Just like Cody and me." She put her arm around Cody, and he did so back.

"No, we're more adorable," London contradicted. "You two are just... cute."

"That's a lot coming from London," Cody said. "But the cutest part of this relationship is Bailey."

"Awhaha..." Bailey gushed as she has done before whenever Cody says something sweet about her.

"And the most adorable part of this relationship is London," Zack said, pulling London closer to him by her waist.

"And he's the most good-looking," she said, ruffling his hair.

"And so is Cody in ours," said Bailey, leaning into Cody.

"Okay, okay, I'm going to barf if you guys get any more mushy," Woody remarked and left them.

"You know, if he'd just ask Addison out, they would be the same way," Zack said. "They've been crushing on each other since we arrived on this ship."

"Oh, she's in love with Woody," Bailey said. "I heard her talking on the phone about it with someone."

"And Woody's in love with her," Cody said. "He walked about her more than food, which is really saying something."

The bell rang and the two couples went to their first class, which they all shared. Throughout the school day, Zack remained next to London's side. They did that all the time, but today, it was different. He really, really wanted to tell London how he feels. Where could they go? When would he even do it?

As they were walking hand-in-hand near the railing on the way to the Sky Deck so Zack could start his shift at the smoothie counter, he looked up. "That's it," he muttered.

"What's it?" London asked, swinging their entwined hands.

"Nothing, nothing." He faced her. "London, how would you like to go on a little date with me tonight after my shift?"

She gave him a look like he was crazy. "Why the heck wouldn't I want to?"

"Great, so... I was thinking we could get away and head up to the highest spot on the ship so no one can bother us. I have something to tell you."

She bounced up and down. "Oooo, what do you want to tell me? Is it a secret?"

There's her dim-wittedness coming out again. He smirked at how cute it was. "It's a surprise."

"Okay. Meet me at my room when you're done working."

"Okay." They reached the smoothie counter. "See ya then, sweet thang."

They leaned in and they shared a sweet kiss, and she was off, saying how she needs to choose an outfit for tonight. Zack got to work, thinking about how's he going to confess to London. He's never told a girl that he loves her, so this was very new to him. He has to get it right. Also, Cody will stop nagging him about it and that nervous swirl in his stomach will go away.

"I love you, London," he muttered, practicing, and as he put his work apron on. He smiled, loving how that rolled off his lips. "I love you, London," he said again, then grinned.

This is going to be a piece of cake.


	8. Chapter 8

_I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Things start to get a little serious for our characters..._

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Oh, how she loved having a boyfriend! And a long-term one at that. She's been in only one long-term relationship, and that was Lance, the hotel lifeguard back in Boston. Other than that, this is it. No one in her family thought that she would have a long-term relationship, considering her father's last wife only lasted two days. That meant that her father confessed his love and proposed to his wife in less than that time. It's been two weeks and she still hasn't told Zack that she loves him. And she does. Maybe she'll tell him on this little date they're going on.

Now, what should she wear? Of course, Zack would like her in anything she wore, but she wanted to look extra beautiful for him. She pulled a purple dress out of her closet as her phone rang from her purse. She went to answer it.

"Hi, Daddy."

"London, hello. How has your day been? Did you go to all your classes today?" He used that fatherly voice.

"Yes, Daddy, I did. And it was a bit creepy with the teachers giving me looks, making sure I didn't leave early. Not that I have before," she added, knowing that she and Zack had sneaked out of class before.

"Well, that's good. And I'm glad that you are doing better in your studies. At least, that is what Mr. Moseby tells me."

She sat on her bed. "Yes, I'm doing better. I have a permanent study buddy now."

"Oh, yes, that new boyfriend of yours," he breathed. "But I don't know if he's having a positive influence on you, considering the things that that boy and his brother have done in the past."

She knew he knew it was Zack. In fact, she knew he knew about their relationship from the beginning of it. "Well, he's not like that anymore."

"Are you sure?"

She paused, thinking about her and Zack cutting class on a few occasions, and almost playing hooky today.

"London, your silence is not comforting. He really is a bad influence on you."

"No, no, Daddy, he's not."

"Why do you think I requested that your teachers make sure you go to class every day? Because I have heard from them that you and that boy have left the classroom now and then."

Oh, her teachers are going to hear a mouthful from her later! "But, that was only a few times, Daddy. I promise, we won't do it again." He sighed in agitation and was silent for a moment. "Daddy?"

"London, I want you to do well in school, and in your life, and you cannot do either when you do not take school seriously and the boy you're dating doesn't either. You're nineteen years old. You need to be done with high school already."

She was smart enough to know where her father was going with this. "Daddy, please, don't touch Zack, okay? I gave him those ideas, leaving class and all that. Please, don't throw him off the ship."

"I'm not going to do that, London, at least not literally throw him off the ship. You know, I was shocked when I found out that you were dating one of the twins that nearly destroyed both my hotel in Boston and the ship you're on. I haven't said anything, knowing that you were the happiest I've seen you, but... I'm afraid I have to put my foot down this time."

London's heart started to pound, and tears stung her eyes. "Daddy, no, please, don't say it."

"I want you to break up with this boy and focus on your school work and getting your high school diploma. In fact, no boys until that happens."

She knew this was coming, and so did Zack. "Daddy... no."

"I already gave my order, London. I'm sorry. I never liked those Martin twins, and I would rather you not associate with either of them. Well, the other one isn't too bad. He can tutor you. But as for his brother, end things with him."

She sniffed and a tear fell. "But... we have a date tonight."

"Then end your relationship at that date. If you don't, no allowance until you do."

She stood up, her eyes fiery. "Then keep my lousy allowance! I don't want it if if means I can't be with Zack. I love him!"

She paused. That was the first time she has said that out loud! Mr. Tipton sighed. "It's just a wild infatuation."

"No, it's not! I really do love him."

"Did you love that lifeguard from the Tipton in Boston?"

"I, well, no, but Zack's different. He's known me for a long time, and he likes me for me. And he doesn't care that I'm rich. In fact, he's told me that he's forgotten about it sometimes."

"Well, we can make that a reality if you don't end it. I'm serious, London. No more allowance, no more money, period."

Her heart pounded with irritation and hurt. "I already said I don't care. Zack's more important to me than money. Go ahead and take it all!"

There was silence on the other end, and London wiped away another tear that fell. How could her own father be doing this to her? "Daddy," she began in a cracked voice, "you said you've never seen me happier. Do you really want me to be miserable and break up with the first guy that I'm really serious about? The first guy, or person, that makes me feel loved and important?"

"He's bad for you, London, and bad for the Tipton image. I have already ordered the magazine tabloids and news sights to not publish anything about you and this boy, just so our reputation isn't tarnished."

"You never did that when I dated Lance."

"That's because he was a Tipton employee and I was fine with it. But with this Martin boy... I'm embarrassed that my daughter is dating him. Please, end things with him. It will be for the better. If not, well, I think I may have to send him back to Boston to stay with his mother at The Tipton there."

London whimpered, "Daddy, no, please..."

"I'll take away your money first, and if that doesn't phase you, then the boy goes as well. I'm sorry."

"Daddy..." she pleaded, her cheeks wet with tears.

"I have to go now. Good luck."

He hung up and London collapsed on her bed and let more hot tears escape. She can deal with no money, but no Zack? Since when has her dad become so evil? Before, it's been the occasional reprimand and threat about no allowance, but now... he's just too harsh.

She can't do it. She won't break up with Zack.

* * *

Zack waited on the bird tower for London. He checked the ladder that he went up to get there, and didn't see her. He figured that she would have a bit of difficulty with climbing that twenty-foot ladder when she wore heels. But at least she's coming and no one will bother them or interrupt. He's finally going to confess to her. She's the first girl that he's felt this way about, and he wanted to make the moment special. The sun was setting over the sea, and it looked absolutely beautiful. Well, not as beautiful as London, but it's a close second.

He heard footsteps and his heart jumped and started pounding hard. "Here she comes," he muttered, and saw London come up into the bird tower. And she wasn't wearing heels. He had nothing to worry about. "Hey, honey," he said and wrapped her in a hug. She felt tense. He looked back at her and noticed a sad look in her pretty eyes. "Hey, you okay?"

She went to the railing and stared out at the sea. "Wow, this is so beautiful."

He smiled and came up next to her. "It is, isn't? But not as beautiful as you."

She didn't respond to that. "You planned all of this, didn't you?"

"Yep, I sure did. I wanted this date to be perfect since I have something pretty important I have to tell you."

She hugged him and held onto him tightly. He took in her wonderful perfume and held her just as tight. "I have something to tell you, too, Zack. And... it's not going to be easy."

He noticed her body tense up again, and it started shaking a bit. He brought her out to face him. "Hey, really, what's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I'll tell you in a second. What did you want to tell me?"

He took a breath and leaned in. Their lips met for one magical moment, and Zack wanted to totally make out with her, but that would have to wait until later. He leaned back and took her face in his hands. The cool sea wind blew their hair.

"London, I wanted to tell you that... I love you."

She stared at him, her mouth opened slightly. "Zack..."

He pulled her into a hug again, loving that he finally revealed his feelings for her. "I love you, London. Honestly, I've wanted to tell you this for a while, I just couldn't find the right time to do it."

She embraced him back and her head rested at his shoulder, which he loved. "Zack... I love you, too."

He grinned, and he fist-pumped the air without her knowing. "Really?"

"Yeah. Actually, you're the first guy I felt this way about."

"Well, you're the first girl I've felt this way about. Odd, since I've been with a lot of girls. I guess they were just crushes and wild flings, and you're the real thing."

"You're real for me too, but..." She let go of him and there was that sad look in her eyes again. "Gosh, you planned something special like this, and now I have to ruin it."

His brows creased. "Ruin it? What do you mean?"

"I talked to Daddy today. Right before I left for this date, actually."

Zack's jaw clenched. This definitely wasn't good. "Let me guess... he hates the fact that you're dating me." She didn't say anything to that and he turned away and looked at the watery horizon. His gut started to twist. "I thought he was fine with it since he never said anything."

"He was at first, but... now..."

He turned to face her again, and he saw tears in her eyes. He knew this was coming. It hurt him to ask, "He wants you to break up with me, doesn't he?"

She was silent for a moment as a frown started on his face. She said, "Yes, but I don't want to. I'm the happiest I've ever been, and he knows that. He just..."

"It's like what I thought before," he grumbled. "I'm one of the kids who nearly destroyed his hotel and nearly sank this ship. He doesn't want you to be with a trouble-maker like me."

She came over to him and held onto his arm in desperation. "I told him that he could take away everything form me—all my money and jewels—but I still wouldn't break up with you."

"I feel like there's a 'but' coming."

She pursed her lips and he saw a tear fall. "There is," she said. "I don't care about my money, which means a lot coming from me. I'm willing to give all that up to be with you, but Daddy threatened to send you back to Boston to live with your mom if I don't end it with you."

He stared at her, shocked, and fear pulsed his system. "He threatened to send me back to Boston?"

"Yes. He said he's kept our relationship out of the media, but now, he's tired of it, and tired of me not getting through school. You're too much of a distraction and a bad influence, he says."

He turned from her and put a hand over his mouth, not believe this. Well, maybe believing it a little since he already feared this would happen. He took a deep breath through his nose and gripped the railing with both hands, trying to hold in a burst of hurt as he glared at the sunset that really was sickening him now.

"So..." he let out, "we have no other choice. Either you break up with me or your dad sends one of his private helicopters to take me back to Boston."

"I... guess," she said in a small voice. "I just don't want you to leave. Knowing me, I will follow you if you leave, and knowing Daddy, he'll make it so I can't leave this ship so I can't follow you."

"Yeah, so we have no other choice," he said again, but bitterly.

They stood there in a thick and uncomfortable silence. London stood next to him as they gazed out at the sea. Zack feared all this would happen, and here it is happening. What could he do? He didn't want to break up with London, but her father's a powerful man. Really, there wasn't a way out of this if he wanted to stay on the ship.

"Okay," he finally said, and he looked at London. "Okay, let's do what your dad says. Let's break up."

Her mouth opened, and her eyes filled with tears. "What? No!"

"Do you want me to be sent back to Boston or not?" he shot at her, and she remained silent. "Look, London, I want to be with you, but if being with you means that we remain just friends, then I'm gonna do it. By breaking up, I can at least see you."

"But... that would be torture. We wouldn't be able to hug or kiss or do anything. Daddy will have people watching us, knowing him."

Zack thought a moment. "Then let's date in secret. Your dad won't know a thing."

"There are cameras everywhere, including in the restrooms."

"Your dad had cameras put in the restrooms?"

"Not in the stalls, but... anyway, there are cameras everywhere. We won't be able to go anywhere without him knowing."

There really wasn't a way out. "Then... I guess this is it."

"Yeah..."

They stared at each other as the evening wind blew their hair, and the sun set lower under the sea's horizon. Zack leaned in and their lips met. He turned and pushed London into the railing and kissed her like he hasn't kissed her or any other girl before. London responded and ran her fingers through his hair as he leaned more into her and his body shivered from having her front pushed into his. He felt and memorized her mouth since he knew that he wouldn't be able to touch it ever again.

His mouth disconnected from hers and they remained in a tight and heated embrace as he breathed heavily from the make-out and as he planted a few soft kisses on her neck. He loved the feeling of her hand his hair, and oh, how he's going to miss it.

"Just because I'm never going to get the chance again," he said into her neck and she just nodded. They faced each other again as an idea came to him. "What if I talk to your dad?"

"That won't work. There's nothing we can do." She leaned in and kissed his cheek, then walked out of their embrace. "Goodbye, Zack. Remember, I love you."

"Like I'll be able to forget that. I love you right back, London."

She gave him a small smile and started down the ladder, leaving him alone on the bird tower. Once she was completely gone, it was as if the strength in his legs vanished and he sunk to the floor of the tower. Now, he wished more than ever that he wasn't such a troublemaker in the past. He basically branded himself, and there was no going back.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The knocking wouldn't stop. Good thing the doors came with locks.

"Zack, c'mon, open up!" Cody shouted from the other side of the door. Zack didn't bother to get up. He didn't bother to do anything. He just wanted to lie in bed and feel sorry for himself and for London, and keep himself from going out and punching out every couple who looked happy and in love, and who didn't have someone wanting to keep them apart.

"Yeah, we have brownies with extra fudge!" Woody added, and Zack heard Cody whisper not to lie to him.

"C'mon, Zack," Cody said again. "We have to get to class!"

They're not going to leave him alone unless he opens the door. He groaned in irritation and got up and opened it. Both boys smiled at him, with Woody waving. He needed his brother, not their curly-haired friend. "No offence, Woody," he muttered and pulled Cody in, shutting the door in Woody's face. He heard a "Hurtful!" from Woody, but Zack ignored it. Cody's eyed his twin.

"Whoa, what happened? Your eyes are all red. You've been crying!"

"I'm aware, genius," he grumbled and went back and collapsed on his bed, and hated that the tears wouldn't stop. "I'm not stepping a foot out of this room, not when I could run into London."

Cody stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Oh... you two had a fight."

"No, we broke up."

Cody's eyes widened at the blunt statement. "What? Why? You guy were so happy and perfect for each other."

"Yeah, until her dad stepped in."

Understanding filled Cody's features. "He doesn't want the two of you together."

"Yeah."

Cody went and sat near his brother on the bed. "I'm sorry, man."

"Yeah, so am I."

"So, what did Mr. Tipton say? Didn't he know that you guys were dating?"

"Yeah, but before, he just let it slide because London was so happy. He kept us out of the media since he was embarrassed by me, but now, he's tired of putting in the effort of keeping it quiet. He just wants me to stay away from London since he's never liked me because of the trouble I've caused in the past. He thinks that I'm a bad influence on her."

Cody remained silent, and Zack sat up, eyeing his brother. His mean look made Cody talk. "Well, it makes sense. I mean, you _have_ caused trouble in the past, and you and London _have_ cut class before."

"Thanks for taking my side," he mocked bitterly.

"I'm just saying that I know where he's coming from. I'm sorry." Silence ensued, and Zack wanted to dive into his blankets again. "So this is it, then? You guys are over?"

Zack frowned. "It was either break up or he sends me back to Boston to live with mom."

Cody's eyes widened. "Seriously? That's low, even for Mr. Tipton."

"Tell me about it. I thought it would be better that we break up and I still see her, rather than going back to Boston and never seeing her again. Plus, I love this ship and sailing around the world, and well..." He met his brother's eyes. He might as well tell him the truth. "I don't want to be separated from you, man, as annoying as you are."

Cody smiled and put his arm around his shoulders and shook him a little. "Aw... thanks, Zack."

Zack brought Cody's arm off of his shoulders. "Don't get used to me saying that, okay? It was just this once."

"I'm just glad that you think that way. So, how will you still see London if you refuse to leave your room?"

"Give me some time." He fell back down onto his back. He stared at the white ceiling. "Do you think I made the right decision? London and I are gonna be miserable."

"I think you did. I wouldn't want you to leave, either, and plus, just seeing London and being friends with her should be enough, right?"

"Hardly. I'm gonna want to hug her and kiss her every time I see her, but I won't be able to." He slapped his pillow. "Dang it, I hate this."

"No one said love was easy."

"Tell me about it."

Silence ensued, and Zack tried to keep the hurt down. He didn't want to burst into tears in front of his brother. The reality really came crashing down on him: him and London will never be a couple, just friends who really, really want to be with each other but painfully can't.

"Well... I'm not going to force you to go to class," Cody said, "but you can't stay in here forever."

"I have enough food in here to last me."

"Yeah, food on the floor that's been there who knows how long, and could walk out of the room by itself by next week."

Zack smirked for the first time since the day before and sat up. "Fine, I'll go. I doubt London will be in class, knowing how torn up she was with all this."

"What about her father telling all the teachers to keep an eye on her?"

Zack thought a second. "Yeah, you're right." He fell back down on his back. "I'm staying here."

Cody pulled his brother back up. "No, just c'mon. You'll be fine. Since when is the Mighty Zack afraid of anything?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I'm not afraid of anything. I can face London and we can be friends."

"Yeah."

The boys got up and left five minutes later after Zack got ready. He instantly regretted going to school when he saw London sitting there in her desk in history class. He went on into the room, and she glanced at him. They stared at each other for a second, longing in their eyes, then London turned her head. Other kids noticed and started to whisper among each other, asking each other about what's going on. Zack felt something pinch his chest.

"Fine, since you all are so curious," he said to everyone, "London and I broke up. Her dad didn't approve, so now, we're over. There, now you all can stop gossiping about us."

He went and sat down is his seat and Cody did as well. He turned around and said to Zack, "A bit insensitive, don't you think?" He nodded a head towards London who suddenly stood up and left the classroom. Zack stared after her, gripping his desk.

"I was just saving everyone the trouble of wondering what's going on," he said.

"Wise," Cody said sarcastically and turned back around. "Just go talk to London and leave things on a good note."

His brother had a point. Forget class—he's leaving. He got up and exited the classroom, and heard Cody comment, "I meant after class."

Zack cantered down the ship, heading towards the girls' cabins, knowing that London was headed that way. But he stopped. There she stood, leaning against the railing, staring out at the sea. She wiped her eyes and got out her phone.

"Daddy?" she said into it, and then in a broken voice, "Are you happy now? I ended it with him! And I couldn't be more miserable! Good luck with wanting me to do better in school because it isn't going to happen because I'm so miserable and I won't be able to think! And can't even think to begin with!"

She let out a whimper and a burst of cries. In her sadness, she threw her phone off the ship and let out more cries. Zack's eyes began to burn at witnessing this, and his chest tightened painfully. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew that was Cody.

"C'mon, man."

Zack watched London cry painfully for a moment more, wanting more than anything to go over there and embrace her. She turned her head slightly and caught sight of him. They stared at one another, and London was about to walk up to him when a big man in a black suit suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Run along, boys," he said in a deep voice. "Leave Miss Tipton be."

_That was fast_, Zack thought for a second, and glared at the man who was a foot taller than him, and two times as wide. Cody pulled on his shoulder, and finally, he turned and the boys started walking in the other direction.

"Mr. Tipton was sure serious, wasn't he?" Cody asked as Zack looked back at London and she met his gaze. Then it was blocked by the big man.

"Yeah, he was," Zack mumbled and they made it back to the classroom and stood just outside of it. He shook his head, trying not to cry in front of his brother. "I can't do this, man," he said in a cracked voice. "I really can't do it. I'm skipping today."

Before Cody could say another word, Zack turned and walked on back to his cabin. It really hurt seeing London like that. Of course, he's seen her distraught before, but not like this, and not because of him. It felt like his heart was being torn into pieces. Now he really knows what people mean when they say they have a broken heart.

And London's feeling it, too.

He has to do something about this. He's not going to let himself or London feel like this any longer. He's going to talk to Mr. Tipton. And in person.

* * *

"Zack, you're out of your mind. If you do that, then you will really be sent back to Boston."

Zack had just finished telling Cody about his plan as they were in Cody's room that afternoon after school. Zack was already informed that London was forced to go to her classes by the big man, and according to Woody, she was always dabbing her eyes with tissues. This made Zack want to take care of this situation even more.

"But I can tell him that I'm not the same troublemaker from before," Zack countered. "You and I both know that I became a better person since I started going out with London."

Cody nodded as he sat at his desk, but faced Zack. "Yeah, I admit that you have. At least, you stopped with your pranks. Cutting class and being self-absorbed are still prevalent, though."

Zack gave his brother a look. "Still. London changed me and I changed her. I'm gonna make Mr. Tipton see that, and make him see that separating London and me was a horrible idea. It's not gonna make London any happier, which means she may not graduate high school until she's thirty."

Cody nodded, knowing that he's not going to be able to change his brother's mind. "So... what are you going to do first, then?"

"I'm gonna talk to Mr. Moseby and ask him to call Mr. Tipton."

"And have him ask Mr. Tipton to fly all the way out into the middle of the Pacific just so he can talk to you?"

"Yes."

Cody turned back to his homework. "Good luck with that."

"You could at least be a little bit more supportive."

Cody let out a breath through his nose and turned to face his brother again. "Zack... really, if you do this, he's just going to get annoyed and he's going to send you back to Boston. I don't want that to happen. As annoying and obnoxious as you are, I don't want you to leave. I thought we already covered this."

The emotion came and Zack gulped hard and he sat on the trunk at the end of Cody's bed, and his chest tightened. "I... don't know what else to do. I hate feeling like this. I guess I also know what they meant when they say love hurts. It does, literally. It feels like my chest is being crushed by a sledge hammer."

Cody nodded. "It does feel like that sometimes." He paused for a moment as Zack felt that sledge hammer feeling, especially when he remembered London wailing earlier. "Do it, then. Talk to Mr. Tipton. But I have a different way of getting him here."

Zack looked at Cody, curiosity in his bloodshot eyes. "Really?"

"Yes. You hate feeling like this, and I hate seeing you like this. And I hate seeing London like this, too. So, I'm going to help out."

"What did you have in mind?"

Cody smiled. "You'll see."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Are you sure this is going to work, Cody?"

Zack and his twin brother were in Cody's room, waiting for London the next day after school. He wasn't too excited about this, mainly because he wasn't able to face London the whole school day, especially with that body guard of hers. She was there, even though she made it known to everyone that she didn't want to be there, with constantly making comments about it in her classes.

"Yes, Zack, there is nothing that Mr. Tipton hates more than people disobeying him, especially his daughter."

"But what if London doesn't want to do it? And... I don't think I could stand watching you two being together, even if it's just faking."

"Let's just talk to her, alright?"

Zack nodded, thinking that he doesn't have much of a choice. Why couldn't they just break a hole through one of the decks with an anchor or something? Would that make Mr. Tipton come? Maybe not. It's not a serious enough problem. When it has to do with his daughter, it's serious.

Knocking sounded on the door and Zack wanted to hide. He about dove under Cody's bed, but Cody took hold of his navy blue sweater hood and stopped him from doing so, and almost choked him while doing it. He really didn't want to face London—he'll want to embrace her and kiss her when he wasn't allowed to do it. It was hard enough not being able to do it at school.

"Come in," Cody said and London came in, wearing skin-tight purple pants with a stylish silver top, and her hair was down and straight. Both she and Zack stared at each other for a moment, with Zack thinking that she looked absolutely beautiful. She turned right back around.

"You didn't say he was going to be here," she said to Cody, and Zack's chest pricked. "I'm leaving."

"Wait, wait, London," Cody said. "We have a plan of getting your dad here so Zack can talk to him and explain everything."

London turned and stared at Zack with a surprised expression. "You want to talk to Daddy? I thought I told you that was a bad idea."

"Yes," Zack said, "but I have to. And I'm not just going to talk to him, I'm going to fight him."

She gasped. "You're going to fight Daddy? That's not a good idea, either—he took Karate and Judo, and is an expert at some other marital arts."

"First off, it's _martial _arts, and second, I'm not going to literally fight him, just verbally fight," Zack said. "I'm going to try and convince him to let us be together by saying I'm not that trouble-maker from before. At least, I'm mostly not that troublemaker from before."

"But that won't work. Daddy is really set in his ways."

"Which is why we've come up with this plan," Cody said and Zack gave him a look. "Well, _I _came up with it. Mr. Tipton doesn't want you to be with Zack, so what if you start dating his brother?"

London's brows creased and she pointed to him. "But... you're his brother." She made a face. "Ew, I'm not going to date you, and you're already dating Bailey."

"We're going to pretend to date," Cody said. "You will tell your dad that if you're not able to date one brother, you're going to date the other, the other smarter and better-behaved one, but one that he doesn't like nonetheless."

Zack creased his brows at his brother, not liking the insult against him. "Hey!"

"Well, Mr. Tipton isn't a fan of both Zack and me, so when he finds out you're going to date the other trouble-maker instead, then he will be furious and travel to the ship. You of all of all people should know that he hates being disobeyed."

"Yeah, he does," she said, and then paused. "So, this is just going to make him come so Zack can talk with him?" The boys smiled at each other, liking that London understood. "Okay, I'll do it if it means that I can be with Zack."

Zack smirked, and he had the urge to hug her, and she gave him a loving look as well.

"So, when do we start?" London asked.

"As soon as possible," Cody said. "You just need to call your dad."

"Okay. And I won't have to kiss you, will I, when we fake date?" She made a disgusted face, and Zack laughed at that.

"No," Cody said. "And I wouldn't want you to kiss me, either, no offense."

"Hey, London's a great kisser," Zack countered.

"I'll take your word for it. Now—London, call your dad now."

"Right now?"

"Yes. And make up a story, like after you broke up with Zack, his brother came to you as you were drowning in your tears, and gave you a shoulder to cry on. And from there, you started to fall for him because of his kind and gentle nature, and his alarmingly good looks. Then you decided to date him after he asked you out."

Zack snorted. "Like he would believe that. Drowning in her tears? Alarmingly good looks? Seriously?"

"She needs to be convincing."

"Like that's convincing. She needs to tell him something that's at least relatively true."

Cody gave his brother a look and told London, "Just make the call."

She got out her flip-phone, dialed, and held the phone to her ear. "Hi, Daddy? I just wanted to talk to you about something." She paused for a few seconds. "Yes, I'm keeping my distance from Zack, and I can't tell you how hard that's been." She made a glance at Zack, and his mouth turned into a frown, knowing her statement was true. "Yes, I won't get back together with him, don't worry, so don't send him to Boston!" Cody waved his arm, indicating he wanted her to tell her fake story. "And, there's a reason why I won't get back together with him... I actually fell for his brother. I was crying in the hallway at school, and he came over and gave me a shoulder to cry on." Cody had made the gestures for shoulder and cry so London would get it. Zack shook his head, not believing that this would work. London went on: "He was just so sweet like he always has been, and... we decided to start dating. Of course, he had to break up with that ugly girl he was already dating, but that just goes to show how irresistible I am."

London brought her phone away from her ear as she made a face, and Zack heard Mr. Tipton yelling on the other end. Maybe this _would_ work. London put the phone back to her ear. "Well, you seemed fine with Cody, so why can't I date him instead?" she quipped. "He's smart, he's sweet, and he's really handsome."

Cody grinned, and Zack felt jealousy prick his chest. He ran a hand down his face and sat down on the trunk in front of Cody's bed.

"No, Daddy," London said firmly. "I'm dating Cody now, so if you're mad about that, then just come and take care of it yourself. I'm not budging."

She shut her phone and Cody clapped. "Nicely done."

"I hope you know the only true thing I said there was that you're smart," she said to Cody and Zack snickered, but then he asked, "What if this doesn't work and he sends both of us to Boston? Then this all would be for nothing."

"He won't," said Cody, "because he'll figure out it's just a ruse to get him to come so you can talk to him."

"And that's not gonna be pretty. He may just send me to Boston anyway."

"He's not going to, if you do this right. It's gonna be difficult, though, knowing Mr. Tipton."

"Well, it's all worth it," London said and gave Zack that loving look, which he returned. "Now, I should go before Daddy figures out that I'm here. Like I said, he has cameras everywhere."

"Even in the cabins?" Cody asked, looking around the room in alarm.

"If he has them in the restrooms, then he has them in the bedrooms," Zack said. "You're dad's one creepy dude."

"I agree," said London. "And since there's a lot of cameras everywhere, we're going to have to be seen under them so Daddy can believe this story."

"Right," Cody said. "So I'll leave with you. I've already told Bailey everything, so she knows what's going on. She's even willing to play it up and act jealous, just to make things convincing."

"I would like to see how she reacts to seeing you two together if she didn't know about all this," Zack said. "She would have a classic face that would be worth a picture."

"Well, she knows, like I said," Cody said, then extended his arm. "M'lady, let's go on our first fake date."

"Sure thing _fake _boyfriend."

The two left and Zack stayed behind. He really hoped that this would work. If not, it's goodbye to London, even as a friend. Her dad's not going to want her to even talk to Zack if this all goes wrong.

"This better work."

* * *

He knew that they were faking, but did they really have to make goo-goo faces at each other, and hold onto each other that close? He looked up. They were right under a camera that was set up in the school hallway, so they knew they could be easily seen. And there was Bailey standing near them, folding her arms and looking jealous. He liked that his friends were in on this, and were helping him and London, but he still didn't like seeing the her act lovey-dovey with his brother.

"It _is _kinda creepy seeing them like that," Woody remarked, standing next to him near Zack's locker during the lunch hour the next day. "I mean, seeing you and London together was weird, but seeing Cody and London..."

"You know it's all fake," Zack said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any less weird. It's been three days already, and Mr. Tipton hasn't said a thing. Do you think he knows that this is all fake?"

"Don't know. Maybe he's just seeing if London's really serious. She's lied her way out of things before."

Right at that moment, Cody leaned in and kissed London! Zack's heart pulsed and anger flooded into him, along with intense jealousy. That's not supposed to happen! They didn't even want to kiss each other! Bailey's mouth dropped open, and she stormed off, passed Zack and Woody. Zack followed her and ran in front of her, stopping her near the chemistry classroom.

"Okay, what what that all about, huh? That wasn't in the plan! They weren't supposed to kiss each other! Oh... Cody's going to find my fist in his face the next time I see him."

Bailey laughed, which shocked Zack. "Zack, they weren't really kissing."

"It sure looked like it!"

"That's the point! It just looked like they did. They were at a certain angle so it would appear that they kissed just so the camera would pick it up. It was actually my idea that they do that. London was fine with it, just as long as there wasn't any physical contact mouth-to-mouth."

Zack stared at her for a moment. He didn't actually see them kiss, it just looked like they did. "So... they didn't actually kiss."

"No, they didn't."

Zack took a breath, relieved. Woody suddenly appeared next to them. "Whoa, did you see that? Mr. Tipton would totally believe that. I mean, you believed it, Zack. I was even convinced for a second, but then I remembered that Cody planned on fake-planting one on London."

Zack shook his head. "I just wish this doesn't go on for much longer. I hate seeing them like that, even if it's fake."

Woody patted his shoulder. "Just hang in there, buddy."

"Yeah," Bailey agreed. "Most of the ship thinks that Cody and London are an item now, so Mr. Tipton should be furious by now. He may arrive on the ship any day."

"I sure hope so," Zack muttered and saw Cody and London headed their way. Zack cantered up to them and said into Cody's face, "You know, you could've informed me that you planned to fake-kiss her."

"I told Woody to tell you. He didn't tell you?" They both looked to Woody.

"Whoops, sorry," their curly-haired friend said. Zack faced his brother again, and London stepped away when her bodyguard came up to them. The man made sure that London wasn't near either of the Martin twins, and whenever he was around, they had to go into fake-mode.

"Hey, where are you going, dear?" Cody asked and brought London back next to him with an arm around her shoulders. "Your dad may be able to keep you and Zack apart, but not us."

Zack huffed and walked off, only half-faking being angry and jealous. Bailey on the other hand, stormed off in an exaggerated way, acting jealous and angry as well. Woody said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder, and said as Zack peeked around a corner to see what was going on, "Wow, they are _so _jealous. You two are just causing so many problems."

"Well, it's worth it," Cody said and snuggled his head against London's, and he gave her a look that told her to start talking.

"Yes, it really is worth it," she said, and she ruffled his blonde hair. "You're just so adorable, sweetie."

The guard walked a ways off and made a phone call on a cell phone. London and Cody stayed in their stance, but London whispered, "I hope you know everything I said is..."

"Not how you really think, I know," Cody whispered back. "But it's working. I think he's calling your dad."

They all paused and tried to listen in, and Zack was able to hear what the man was saying... "Yes, Mr. Tipton, she has not separated herself from the boy. It seems like she's more serious about this one than the other." A pause. "Yes, I am trying to keep them apart, but they are just hooked to each other like a magnet. Your daughter is very stubborn, and I mean that in the nicest possible way." A pause. "Yes, very well, Mr. Tipton. No, I will inform Mr. Moseby that you wish to talk to your daughter in person." Zack's eyes widened and his jaw dropped open. "Yes, very well. Good day to you, Sir."

The guard came up to the group again and told London that it was time for her to go to class. "Nope, I'm going to class with Cody. We have the same one, after all."

"Miss Tipton, please, come with me. There is something I wish to talk to you about before you go to class."

Her brows creased, and she glanced at Zack. He nodded, telling her to do what he says. "Okay. But I'm going right back to Cody's side after."

She hugged Cody, with him saying a "Goodbye, dear," and she and the guard were off. The bell rang, and kids scurried to class, but instead of going to class, Zack ran up to his friends and brother. "Did you guys hear what he said to Mr. Tipton?"

"He was talking to Mr. Tipton?" Cody asked, eyes wide.

"Yes. I heard it all. He said that Mr. Tipton wants to inform Mr. Moseby that he wants to talk to London about all this in person, as in, he's coming!"

"You mean, we did it?" Bailey asked, excited.

"Yes, it worked! Given I was about to explode with jealousy with all this, but it worked!"

"Whoo! So, does that mean Cody and I can be together again?"

"Not quite," Cody said and she frowned. "We still need to be convincing in front of Mr. Tipton when he comes aboard. As in, this needs to be a little more serious."

"Please don't tell me your going actually kiss London," said Zack. "I about knocked you unconscious because I thought you actually kissed her a few minutes ago."

"No, no, I was just thinking that I could confess my love for London right in front of her father, and that would make his more furious, and then that would give you the opportunity to confess that this whole thing was just a ruse to get him on the ship so you can talk to him. That would make him see just how serious you are about London."

"Especially since your friends and brother helped you get him onto the ship by doing this for you," Bailey added.

Zack smirked. "Okay. Let's do this."

"Something tells me this still isn't going to end well," Woody said. "What if he just get more angry, and he sends both of you away? Wouldn't it be better to just go to him when he gets here and simply tell him the truth?" They all eyed Woody, and he took a step back at noticing that his three friends were staring at him. "What? Why are you all staring at me? Is that a bad idea?"

"No," Bailey said. "It's good one. I think you're right in thinking that we shouldn't make Mr. Tipton more furious. Zack, when Mr. Tipton gets here, and he settles in, just go on to his suite and talk to him and tell him everything."

Cody nodded. "I agree that that would be a better option. I really don't want to leave this ship."

"And I don't either," Zack said. "Okay. I'll do it. And... thanks, guys, for helping me and London out."

"We're your friends," said Bailey. "Why wouldn't we help?"

"Um... I don't mean to ruin the moment, but we have those camera's on us," Woody whispered.

They all paused, and Zack suddenly pushed Cody into the wall. He stared at Zack with wide eyes. "What was that for?"

"I have to be convincing for the camera," Zack remarked, and Bailey went up to Cody and slapped his cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him. "I have to look convincing, too."

Woody went and slapped Cody on his other cheek. "Woody!" Cody protested.

"What? I have to be convincing, too. How dare you break your brother's heart! See if I'm ever friends with you again."

He walked off and Bailey whispered, "I don't think he knows that the cameras don't record sound."

"I don't think he does," Cody said, rubbing both his cheeks. "Now, let's get to class. You guys go ahead so it looks like you're both furious with me."

They nodded and Bailey and Zack walked on to their next class. Zack grinned, knowing that their plan worked, but then it faded when he realized that he would have to talk to the powerful Mr. Tipton who could easily send him back to Boston, fire his mom, or do something else horrible that would get him to leave London alone. He's going to have to stand strong and try to convince Mr. Tipton that London has made him a better man, and he has made London so happy. He just needs to figure out how to say it all and muster the courage to do so.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The whole ship was all a buzz about Mr. Tipton coming in person. Well, the whole ship, as in, all the employees and Zack's group of friends. Zack paced his room, thinking about how he's going to confront Mr. Tipton, who's going to arrive on the ship the next morning.

He heard his door open and in came Cody. "Hey, thought you were getting ready for bed."

"I was, but then I started thinking about the fact that our plan actually worked." He looked around the room. "You shouldn't be in here since there are cameras. Mr. Tipton will see us together and will know that we faked everything."

Cody smirked. "Okay, one, he's going to find that out anyway; and two, I talked to Kirby. While there are camera's in every nook and cranny of the ship, even in the restrooms, as creepy as that is, there aren't any in the cabins. Thank goodness."

"Well, he still can see you come into my room."

"Just forget that. Now, Mr. Tipton is coming at 10am tomorrow, but there's school."

"I'm cutting class. This is more important." He paused and eyed his bother. "Have you seen London? That bodyguard of hers took her away and I haven't seen her since. She wasn't even in the remaining classes for the day."

"Yeah, she came up to me after school and screamed, rather loudly I might add, that her dad is coming onto the ship. She had been talking with him on the phone for three hours straight, so that's why she wasn't in class. She was trying to convince him to let her stay with me, but, of course, he had none of it, which made him have the desire to come onto the ship even more."

Zack smirked. "Clever, even for her. That's my girl."

Cody put a hand on Zack's shoulder. "Good luck, man."

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

Cody patted his shoulder. "Well, get some sleep. You're going to need that, too."

Zack nodded and Cody left. His heart pounded, knowing that he's going to face Mr. Tipton in twelve hours. "Oh, crap..."

* * *

There was a whole group of people in the lobby, waiting to greet Mr. Tipton, and most of those people where ship employees. Mr. Moseby stood in front of everyone, instructing them to be their best selves. Zack stood in the back of the crowd, hiding from Mr. Moseby. He saw London standing off to the side of the entrance, waiting as well.

A couple of men in suites came into the lobby and Mr. Moseby hushed everyone. That is when a whole group of men came into the lobby. Mr. Moseby came up to them, grinning. "Mr. Tipton, is it such an honor to have you come aboard this ship. And I must say, I love what you did with the bodyguards. Very slimming."

"Thank you, Mr. Moseby," Mr. Tipton said as he was hidden by his guards. "Now, I am not going to waste any time. London?"

"Hello, Daddy."

London didn't seem pleased to see her father. The man said, "It is great to see you again, London, and I am flattered that you came to greet me, but you really should be in school right now."

She folded her arms. "I just wanted say that you coming here was pointless because I'm not going to break up with a second guy who I fell in love with, and who's far better than the last one."

Zack's chest pinched, even though he knew she was making things up. But did she really have to say that Cody was better than him? Well, it may be true in many aspects, but still.

"London..." he sighed, "let us talk in my suite, alone. But after school. Now run along to your class and meet me at my suite when you are through."

"Yes, Daddy," she said, then glanced at Zack. It wouldn't be her that would show up, it would be him. And it would be much earlier than 3pm when school lets out.

The group of people greeted Mr. Tipton and soon, the man and his guards were out of sight. The group dispersed and Zack went along with them as to not be seen by Mr. Moseby. Once in a hallway, he took a breath, and it caught right up in him when London ran around the corner.

"Zack!"

Zack's heart pulsed in alarm. "London, we can't be seen with each other, not until I talk to him."

"I don't care. You're going to talk to him anyway."

She embraced him, and his will left him and he embraced her back. He loved how she felt against him, especially after not being able to hug her for a few days, and oh, how he loved that perfume. "London, I should go. We can't waste any time."

She looked back at him as they still held onto him. His will was weak again... he leaned in and kissed her and she kissed him back. They got a bit into it, but Zack broke away, as much as he didn't want to. "Really, I have to go."

"You keep on saying that, but you never leave."

"That's because I love this too much."

"Well, I love you and you love me, and that's why you're going to talk to Daddy."

He nodded, knowing it was true. "Yeah." He let go of her. "Well, until after I talk to your dad. Wish me luck."

"Good luck. And by the way, I hate fake-dating Cody. It's disgusting."

He smirked, amused. "You and I think the same." He started walking away. "See ya. And remember, no matter what happens, we're still going to be together."

She nodded, and he walked on, and once on the other side of the ship where the Imperial Suite was, he stood a ways down the hall and stared at the doors that were guarded by two large men. Heart hammering, and knowing that he just had to do it, he went up to the guards and stood as tall as his five-foot-six stature could allow.

"Excuse me, I need to talk to Mr. Tipton."

"Not a chance, kid," said one of the guards in a deep voice. "Beat it."

Zack wouldn't take no for an answer. He should fib his way in. Well, half-fib since he really is the one dating London. "No, I have to talk to him. I'm the guy dating London."

The two men stared at Zack for a moment, and one of them touched his earpiece. "Sir," he said, "the boy who is dating your daughter is at the door and wishes to speak with you. Shall I let him in?" There was a pause. "Very well. I will tell him." He said to Zack, "He says to stay away from London or he will fly you back to Boston where you belong."

Zack gave him a challenging smirk and folded his arms. "Really? And Mr. Tipton is not man enough to say that to me in person? Wow..."

The guard touched his earpiece. "What was that, Sir?" A pause. "Very well."

The guard turned and held open on of the two double-doors and Zack's brows rose. Bad-mouthing Mr. Tipton worked. His pride shooting up, Zack went on in, and he tried not to let his nervousness show. He stopped when he came in and gaped at the large suite with fancy furniture. And this was just the living room. How big is the bedroom and kitchen?

"Whoa..." he let out. "I wouldn't mind staying in this suite."

"And you never will, not in your lifetime," he heard and looked over at the back of a brown leather sofa and saw a head above the back of it. "In fact, you wouldn't even be able to make enough money in your whole lifetime to rent this suite out for even a night."

Zack took a couple steps to the sofa, wowed that he was able to see the actual man without his bodyguards. Given it was just the back of his head, but still. "That may be true, but you never know what will happen in the future."

"Correct, but I know of one thing: your future will not have my daughter in it."

Here it comes. Zack mustered his courage. "I would have to disagree with that, Sir."

Mr. Tipton shifted a bit but did not turn or get up from the sofa. "You say that with such firmness. I will admit, Mr. Martin, that you were the one twin I disliked the least, but I still do not want you with my daughter. She needs to focus on her studies."

He thought that Zack was Cody. Their plan worked! He should clear things up right now. "I think, Sir, that you're referring to my brother Cody. I'm Zack, the guy who's really dating London. She just pretended to dump me and start dating Cody just so you would come onto the ship and I would have the chance to talk to you in person."

Silence ensued, and Zack swore that Mr. Tipton could hear his heart bang against his ribs. He waited for Mr. Tipton to respond. He heard the man sigh long and hard. "I see that I was manipulated. I should have expected as much, especially from the brothers who are the bane of my existence and the existence of everyone who knows them."

Annoyed that what he said was true, admittedly, Zack jumped when Mr. Tipton stood up and turned to face him. His eyes widened at finally being able to see Mr. Tipton in person, and not Asian like he thought he was. He was a forty-something-year-old brown-haired Caucasian man in a trim black suit and blue tie.

"There is a reason why I wanted you away from my daughter, Mr. Martin, and you being here, cutting school, is just one reason for that, along with the myriad of other reasons why my hotel and this ship almost crumbled at the hands of you and your brother."

Zack stood tall again. "Well, I can't lie and say that Cody and I may have caused a bit of trouble in the past, but that is all behind us, especially me. I'm not that trouble-maker from before—I've changed, and that is thanks to London. She has made me a better person, and really, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I don't mean to brag, but I have made her happier than the biggest diamond or the biggest wad of cash ever could have."

Mr. Tipton smirked and walked out from behind the sofa and stood a few feet away from Zack, his blue eyes firm. "You think so highly of yourself. While I admit that London _was _happy with you, you are not good for her. I will never allow her to be with you, your brother, or any other boy on this ship. She is to focus on her studies and that is final."

The man stood with his arms behind his back, giving Zack an 'I won and you never will' look, but Zack wouldn't accept it. He stood his ground, not wanting to be told off that easily. "I respect the fact that you want your daughter to do well in school, but she can't do well in it if she's unhappy. She's happy when she's with me, and as shocking as it is, her grades have gone up since she's started dating me. Keeping us apart is just a recipe for her to fail school, to not graduate until she's twenty-five, and to never be happy again. And I might add that she won't be a big fan of you, either."

Mr. Tipton's eyes blazed, and he glared at Zack for a few seconds, and Zack feared that he said too much. He really shouldn't have added that last bit, even if it was true.

"You are really bold, Mr. Martin, and I admire that, but I am not budging. London has dated other boys, and has even confessed to loving them, but they were all just wild infatuations that she will eventually got over." He took a step closer to him giving him a hard, serious look. "And she will do the same with you. I'm afraid that you will have to leave this suite and start packing your things. I will leave this evening at five o'clock, and you will be on that jet with me. Say goodbye to London, this ship and everyone on it, and say hello to your old life back in Boston." He snapped his fingers and those two guards came in and took hold of Zack by both of his arms.

"Wait, Mr. Tipton...!"

"I'm afraid you put this on yourself, Mr. Martin. It was a pleasure chatting with you."

Zack struggled in the guards' irritatingly strong hold. "Mr. Tipton!"

They exited the suite and the guards let go of Zack and he tumbled to the floor. He stood right back up and went for the door again, but the guards pushed him back. "You can't get rid of me that easily!" he shouted at the door. "I'm not going anywhere!"

One of the guards touched his earpiece, listened, then said, "If you don't want your mother kicked out onto the streets, then Mr. Tipton suggests that you get a move on. Be at the ship's helicopter pad by 5pm sharp this evening. And he says good day."

Zack scowled, knowing that the stuffy rich man would throw his mom into the picture. "Fine. But I'm not going to stop dating London."

He stalked away and eventually made it back to his cabin. He sat on his bed and glared at a random yellow Lays chip bag on his bedroom floor.

It failed. The plan failed.

Zack sat there for a while, and he didn't even pay attention to how much time passed. When Cody walked in, he surmised that it was either lunch time or school had just gotten out. Cody came up to him. "Well? How did it go? Did you convince him?"

Zack looked up at his eager brother. "Yes, I convinced him."

Cody fist-pumped the air. "Yes! I told you if you did it right, then he would agree to let you stay with London. Good job, Zack."

Zack shot up, which startled Cody, and he gave his brother a mean look. "No, I didn't convince him to let me stay with London, I convinced him to fly me back to Boston!"

Zack walked away and covered his mouth, trying not to loose it. He heard Cody say, "What? Why would you convince him to send you to Boston?"

"You know you're a real dim-wit sometimes, Cody." He turned to face him, his blood boiling with anger. "I told him everything that I planned to tell him—that London's the best thing that has ever happened to me, that she has made me a better person and I have made her so much happier, and that I was going to continue dating her because of all that. But it all tanked and he said that I'm leaving tonight at five on a Tipton jet back to Boston."

Cody started at Zack, hurt filling his features. Zack turned away and sucked in a breath and the tears came but didn't fall. He felt Cody stand next to him. "Zack..." he said in a small voice, "you're leaving... at five tonight?"

"Yes. And if I don't, then he's going to fire mom and she'll have to live on the streets." He went and sat on his bed. "This whole thing's a bust. London's going to be depressed."

Cody stood next to him and they both stood there in silence for a moment. "There has to be something we can do," Cody said.

"We've done enough. Having you fake-date London got Mr. Tipton onto the ship, but he wasn't happy one bit that he was manipulated. He seemed calm when he was talking to me, but he was furious, just like we thought he would be."

Cody nodded. "Then... we just made things worse."

"Yeah, we did."

There was silence again, and Cody looked at Zack. "Hold on. How could you tell that he was calm? Just by his tone of voice?"

"No, he looked calm."

Cody's eyes widened. "You actually saw him, like in person? He didn't talk to you with all his bodyguards around him? What did he look like?"

"Not like I expected. He's not Asian like I thought, but he and London have the same smile."

"Wow... you and London, as well as his countless wives, are probably the only people who have actually seen him without all his bodyguards surrounding him. Actually, I wonder if some of his wives have ever seen him?"

"His guards were there, that's for sure. They nearly broke both of my arms off as they carried my out of that insanely awesome suite."

"At least Mr. Tipton didn't throw you overboard and is decent enough to let you fly to Boston." He gave his brother a sad look. "I'm so sorry Zack."

"So am I. Now I have to tell London. She's not going to like this. No one is when they find out."

"How about I tell the others and you tell London? It's lunch time now, but I don't think London would mind skipping class to talk to you."

"No she wouldn't. Cody?"

"Yeah?"

He stared at his twin's face for a second, but shook his head. "Nevermind. I'm gonna talk to London."

He stood up and left the room, not sure if he was ready to see London's reaction to all this.

* * *

London sat there at one of the tables in the Seven Seas High's cafeteria. She had her own table reserved for her and her alone. It was away from all the other kids, and the table as well as the space around it was decorated like she sat in a five-star restaurant. Her heart pounded in anticipation, wondering what was going on between Zack and her dad. He is probably still talking with her dad. Or would he still be talking to him? Knowing her father, it was most likely a short conversation. The other day when she talked with him for a few hours, that was her talking, not him. She wasn't usually that long-winded, she just wanted her father to understand that being with a guy who loves her and who she loves is a wonderful thing. Hopefully Zack won't be as long-winded and wouldn't take a long time to talk to him.

She let out a gasp when she spotted Zack walk into the cafeteria, and her heart sank when she saw the frown on his face. _Oh, no..._

Zack made it to her table and she stood up to greet him. "Zack, what happened? Did you convince Daddy?"

He was silent for a moment as he had his hands in his jeans pockets. He never does that—this had to be bad. "London..."

She may not be smart, but she knew where this was going. Tears stung her eyes and she sat back down in her seat, and the sight of the lobster legs on her plate were starting to make her feel sick to her stomach. "Don't say it, Zack."

He pulled over the second chair at the table and sat next to her. "London, I tried. I told him everything, but he still..." He frowned. "He's making me fly back to Boston. Tonight."

Tears filled her eyes. "No... I thought this would work. I thought that Daddy would see just how happy I have been."

"He saw that, but he's still putting his foot down. He doesn't want you with a trouble-maker like me. He said that if I don't go, then he's going to fire my mom and she'll be kicked out onto the streets. And it's winter in Boston, so it's gonna be cold and snowy."

London shook her head, not wanting to believe this was true. "No. No, Daddy isn't going to do this. If you talking to him won't work, then I'll talk to him." She stood up, but Zack grabbed her arm before she could go anywhere.

"London, don't. He's already furious as it is. I don't want him to do anything to you, either."

"I have no other choice. I don't want you to go, and you don't want to go, either. You can't stop me."

She walked away and cantered to the Imperial Suite. She met the guards there, and they blocked her way in. She gave them an appalled look. "Don't you know who I am?"

"Our apologies Miss Tipton, but your father is rather busy at the moment."

"He's not busy enough to talk to me. Now move aside!" She pushed over one of the men away with surprising force and opened the door. When she entered the living room area of the suite, she looked around. "Daddy? Where are you?"

"London?" she heard from another room, and out came her father. "London, what are you doing here? You should be in school."

"It's lunch break right now. And I just talked to Zack."

Mr. Tipton nodded, and he stood tall with his arms behind his back. "I see. Well, now you both know the consequences of that prank that you pulled to get me here, as well as the consequences of being with a boy who I don't approve of. I hope you have said goodbye to him since you will not be seeing him again, at least for a long time."

"Daddy, you can't do this!"

"You of all people should know that I can."

"But why? Why do you have to be so mean? I'm happy with Zack, more happy than money has ever made me, and that's really saying something."

Mr. Tipton stepped up to his daughter and gave her an apologetic look. "London, I'm sorry that I have to do this, but it's for your own good."

Anger bottled up inside of her, and it took all that she had in her not to shout. "Good for me, or good for you?"

They glared at one another. "Both. Now, run along. Your lunch hour will end soon, and I don't want you to miss any more school."

"Fine," she said, tears falling, "I'll go to school, but I'm not promising that I'm going to do well. In fact, with Zack gone, I will do worse in school, and so will Cody and Bailey and Woody and all of our friends since they're going to miss Zack. And that's going to be all your fault. I guess I won't be graduating any time soon."

She turned on her tall pink Gucci heel and stalked out of the room and back out into the hallway. She's not going to let her father do this—she's not going to let him ruin her life, Zack's life, and her friends' lives as well. As much as they say that Zack's annoying, they really like him and consider him a good friend.

She has to do something, but what?


	12. Chapter 12

I hope you all are liking the story so far! Here, things start to get a little interesting...

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"Goodbye, Zack."

"We'll miss you."

Zack's chest tied into knots as he stared at all of his friends as he and they stood at the helicopter pad on the ship. Mr. Tipton hasn't shown up yet. Cody put a hand on Zack's shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you, pal," he said, and Zack stared at his brother. Cody read his look. "Hey, we'll think of something."

"Like what?" Zack scoffed. "All my stuff is packed, mom's expecting me at the ship port at eight o'clock, and I was already taken out of the school records. There's no coming back for me."

"Don't say that," Bailey said and stood up to him. "Like Cody said, we'll think of something. Mr. Tipton was being too harsh, and rather irrational, too. How could he think that this is better for London when she's going to hate him for doing this?"

Zack frowned at the mention of London. After she went off to talk to her dad earlier, he hasn't seen her. Maybe it was for the best that she not be around when he left.

"There's Mr. Tipton," Woody said and the three friends looked over and saw a bunch of guards—Mr. Tipton was hidden in them as usual. Mr. Moseby was with them as well, and he was grinning. Zack huffed. Well, Mr. Mosey finally got his wish—Zack's leaving for good.

"I hope you have a pleasant journey to Boston," Mr. Moseby said to Mr. Tipton.

"Thank you, Mr. Moseby. I admit it will be disappointing to fly into winter when it is so warm here."

"Yes, but you can just fly right back if you wish."

"Yes. Well, I must be off. Is Mr. Martin ready?"

"Yes, he his," Mr. Moseby said. "And we will all miss him terribly."

"Psht," Zack let out to his friends. "Mr. Moseby is probably that happiest that I'm leaving. He's been wanting to get rid of me since we first came to The Tipton when we were twelve."

"Correction," Cody said, "he wanted to get rid of both of us."

"But me the most. Man… why did I have to be such a hooligan?"

"It's just the way you are," Woody said. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't have some hooligan in you."

"But it got me kicked off the ship and it's forcing me to leave all you guys, and the girl I love."

"And speaking of which, where is she?" Bailey asked. "I told her we were seeing you off, but she just stayed in the cabin. I'll call her." Bailey got out her phone and started dialing London's number. Zack went and shut the flip phone before Bailey could make the call.

"Don't bother. She doesn't want to come see me off. And honestly, I don't want her to, either. It'll be too painful."

Zack's bother and friends gave him a sad look, and Woody looked over. "Sorry, Zack, but it looks like you'll have to feel some of that pain. There's London."

Zack's heart dropped when he saw London walk up to them, her straight brown hair blowing in the wind. Why the heck did she have to look so beautiful now of all times? When she came closer, he noticed tears in her eyes and they were falling down her cheeks. He and London locked gazes and Zack had trouble swallowing since his throat was tightening.

This was torture. He turned and faced the jet.

"Daddy, please, don't make him go!" he heard London shout as the wind howled around them.

"I've already made up my mind, London. You'll get over him, just as you have with the other boys you've dated."

"But I told you—Zack's different! I've known him for a long time, and I love him! Please, Daddy!"

"I'm sorry, London. He's leaving and there will be no bringing him back. I'll allow you to make one last goodbye, then it's off to Boston with him."

Zack turned and London met gazes with him again. Their friends stood a bit away from them as they stared at each other, and not a second passed before London ran into him in a hug, nearly knocking him over. He held her as tightly as he could and took in that perfume that he loved so much, knowing that he's not going to inhale it again.

"Zack, I promise I'll do something. I'll make Daddy change his mind, I… I'll think of something!"

She whimpered into his shoulder as they held each other tight. "I'll be okay, London. Just go to school and be as happy as you can, okay?"

"But how can I be happy without you here?"

He brought her in front of him. "Just try, okay? Just like I'll try to not go crazy with how much I'll miss you and this ship, and everyone."

She nodded. "I'll try, but I won't be good at it. I love you, Zack."

He gave her a cute smirk. "Love you, too, London."

They about went in for a kiss when one of the bodyguards pulled Zack away by the shoulder. "Time to go, Mr. Martin." He continued to pull Zack away and he made glances at London as he headed to the jet.

"Bye, Zack!" Bailey shouted.

"I'll save that pizza for you until you get back!" Woody shouted. "The one under my bed that I've been saving for a special occasion!"

Zack had to smirk at that, as much as it was difficult to. He met eyes with his brother, and he saw a frown on his face, and a tear escaped, but he quickly wiped it away. Zack's heart pulsed at the sight. He and his brother have never been separated for the sixteen years that they've been alive. Never for an extended amount of time, that is.

Zack let go of his suitcase handle and ran up to Cody. "Cody," he said, but then stopped. Cody sniffed.

"Who was crying? I wasn't crying."

"I never said that you were, even though you are." He brought his twin brother into a hug. "I'm gonna miss ya, man."

Cody padded his back. "I'm going to miss you, too, as annoying an obnoxious as you are."

"Right back at ya. And…" The two separated and Zack looked at his brother's face. "I… well…" He's never told this to his brother before—he's never been sentimental with him. "I guess I just wanted to say… love ya, man."

Bailey wiped a tear form her eye, and Woody did as well, at this tender scene. Cody wrapped his brother in a hug. "Aww… I love you, too, Zack."

They came out of the embrace, and saw that Cody's cheeks were wet. He would have to admit that he would miss Cody most of all, aside from London. He would never admit it out loud, though.

"Well, see ya," Cody said and sniffed. He padded Zack on the shoulder. "Say hi to mom and Esteban for me."

"Will do."

"Time to go, Mr. Martin!"

Zack turned his head to the bodyguard, then back to his friends. "See you all. And I mean I'll be back. Mr. Tipton can't keep me away forever."

"And we'll think of something," Bailey said again. "All of us. We promise."

"Mr. Martin!"

Zack looked back at the guard again. "Okay, I have to go."

He walked away from his friends, brother, Mr. Moseby… and London. He stepped onto the stairs leading to the jet and met London's eyes. He held up a hand and she held up two—she formed her hands into the shape of a heart. Zack smirked, and mouthed "I love you," with her mouthing it back, and then he got into the jet. He was too upset and sad to think that this jet was pretty awesome and pretty posh. He sat in a seat and looked out the window, his suitcase next to his seat. The jet gained air and he watched as his friends, brother, the girl he loves, and the ship got smaller and smaller until it was gone.

* * *

"We have to do something! Zack belongs here and he belongs with London."

Bailey, Cody, Woody and London were all in Bailey's and her room shortly after Zack flew off in her father's jet. The moment he was out of sight, she left and ran to her room and threw herself onto her bed princess style. She had wept for an hour straight until Bailey came, along with Woody and Cody.

"I agree, Bailey," Cody said. "But what can we do? Zack's still on that jet, and will be for another couple of hours until it reaches Boston."

"Maybe London can call another jet and follow them, but a faster one," Woody suggested. "And she can get there before they do and can take Zack back without Mr. Tipton knowing."

"That's a good idea," Bailey said.

"It won't work," London said as she sat on her bed, and she had a hard time holding in the hurt of Zack leaving. Her chest still ached from how hard she cried for that hour. "Daddy will know. He'll know since the people who fly our jets and helicopters all work for him."

"Then let's find someone who doesn't work for him," Cody said.

"That still wouldn't work. Daddy will find out somehow."

"Do you want to see Zack again or not?" Bailey quipped. "There has to be a way."

They all remained silent for a moment as they all tried to think of something. London looked around at them and a small smile grazed her lips. She realized as she stared at them all as they thought of how to get Zack back and have her and him be together, just how good of friends she had.

"Thanks, guys," she found herself saying. "You all are pretty awesome for doing this. You all are great friends, probably the best that I've ever had."

Bailey came and sat down next to her and gave her a soft smile. "Aw, that really means a lot, London."

"I agree," said Cody. "I've known you for years, and consider you a great friend as well."

"And I've known you for about a year, and I consider you a great friend, too," Woody added. "A really pretty and rich one."

London smiled, grateful to have such good friends. A few seconds passed when Woody gasped. "What?" Cody asked.

"I think I've thought of something."

Bailey stood up. "What?"

"We're porting in Miami next, right? Why not just have London hitch a ride with some sailors or people who are going on a boat up to Boston?"

Everyone stared at Woody, their eyes wide. Woody chuckled in embarrassment. "Yeah, you're right. Dumb idea."

"No," Bailey said, stepping up to him. "That is actually a really great idea."

"What?" both Cody and London said at the same time.

"Think about it," Bailey began, explaining. "London has enough money that she could pay any fare that cruise ships or ferries have to offer. It's doubtful that one boat would be going from Miami to Boston, but other boats will. She could just hitch hike from city to city until she reaches Boston."

London stood up, intrigued at this idea. "I will be boat-hopping all the way to Boston?"

"Or if you can't find a boat, take a bus or train, or some type of transportation where you don't have to show your ID or use your card, just pay cash. Mr. Tipton will never know! He can follow a card trail but not a cash trail."

London grinned and embraced Bailey. "I love it! Let's do it!"

"Hey, it was my idea to begin with," Woody remarked.

London jumped to Woody and gave him a hug, which he took happily. Cody stepped in when London released Woody. "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Send London traveling from Miami to Boston? That's nearly fifteen hundred miles."

London gave her friend a stern look. "You think I can't do it? If I can maneuver through Paris and their shopping districts, then I can make my way up to Boston."

"But it's fifteen hundred miles," Cody repeated. "You would have to make it over like nine states, including all of Florida."

"This is no time for math, Cody," London quipped. "Plus, don't you want to see your brother?"

"Yes, but there are other means, like somehow make this ship go to Boston."

"But then Mr. Tipton would know and he would suspect things," Bailey countered. "I have enough faith in London that she can make it. Do you know how to read a map, London?"

London paused. "Um… well, I can hardly read normally, so…"

"How about we guide you?" Woody asked. "At every city you reach, we can tell you what to do, like what boat to take, or what train to catch, things like that."

Bailey grinned and patted Woody on the shoulder. "You're just full of awesome ideas, aren't you?" Woody smiled sheepishly. Bailey said, "Okay, I'm in."

"Me, too," said Woody said.

"I'm just worried," Cody said. "What story would we make up? Maybe we should all go and everyone will think that we got lost in Miami?"

"That would just result in chaos and missing persons reports," Bailey said. "Better to have only London go and we can just say that she got terribly sick and will not leave her room under any circumstances, and no one can enter without getting sick, too. Plus, Zack is the love of her life."

"He's also my twin brother," Cody added.

"Let's just do this, okay? Are you in?"

Cody eyed all of his friends. He nodded. "Yeah, I am. I just worry, like I said."

"Well, when London makes it to Boston and Mr. Tipton sees just how serious she is, then he will let her and Zack be together."

The fours friends nodded, and London squealed with excitement. "Oh my gosh, I can't wait to get started! When do we get to Miami?"

"Tomorrow," Bailey said. "Prepare yourself, London. And it may be wise to dress as a normal person, rather than as an heiress."

London's brows creased in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, dress in clothes that don't shimmer and sparkle. You will have to blend in so people don't know who you are. Like a disguise."

London's mouth dropped open, utterly shocked. "But… not wear my sparkles or jewels?"

"Yes, just to be safe and to not be recognized. You can borrow some of my clothes."

London gasped. "Oh, no way am I touching any of your ratty farm clothes."

"Do you want your father to find out about this? If not, then you have to do it."

"I agree," Cody said, and Woody agreed as well.

"Okay…" London said, not liking this part of the plan. "But this is literally the one time that I will be seen in those hideous clothes."

Bailey grinned, and then she clapped. "Okay, then! It's settled. London, it's time for you to get sick, because you're not leaving this room for a week."

"What? What about the plan? I thought I was going to Boston." London paused and understood a second later. "Oh, right."

And the plan was set. London was very nervous about taking this adventure of a lifetime, as can be expected, but she wanted more than anything to see Zack again and get him back on the ship, as well as have her father accept her relationship with him. And if she has to travel fifteen hundred miles over seven states to do it, then so bit it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Zack never thought that he would see the inside of this suite again. It was certainly a sight for sore eyes, literally, since his eyes were stinging with tears constantly, but he didn't let them fall since he didn't want his mom to see him cry. But being his mom, she knew how he felt, that he hated coming back home. He felt her hand on his shoulder.

"Well, welcome home, Zack."

"Yeah. Right."

He went on slumped down on the sofa that he and Cody had always sat on, watching TV and playing video games. Carey came and sat next to her unhappy son. "This isn't as bad as you think, you know," she said. "Think of this as a break from your life at sea."

"But that's the best life that I've ever had." He huffed as his chest tightened and he tried his best to hold his tears of anger and hurt down. "This is what I get for falling in love."

"No, this is what you get for fighting Mr. Tipton."

"Yeah, and falling in love caused it all."

She put an arm around his shoulders and eyed his frown. "I'm sorry, Zack. If I could do something, I would."

"Believe me, I would, too. In fact, I tried, and I ended up here, away from Cody, away from London, away from everyone."

She nodded. "Yes, it really is troublesome. You know—you can't help how you fall in love with. Take me and your father for example."

"You two got divorced."

"Yes, but we had the two of you." She squeezed his shoulders. "Love is a beautiful thing, Zack, and I think that it's so wonderful that you fell in love with London. Actually, I thought that you two would get together at some point."

Surprised at that, he looked over at her. "Really?"

"Yes. You guys have been close for so long, I figured it would happen eventually. And I couldn't be happier for you two, and more furious with Mr. Tipton for ripping you two apart, and for ripping you away from your amazing life at sea."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, it _was_ amazing. But now it's back to normal, boring public school and a job here at The Tipton."

"Hey, Esteban was really generous with that bellboy job offer."

"Yeah. I guess I'll go from riding the luggage carts to pushing them, just like he did before he became night manager."

"That's karma."

Zack frowned again. "Yeah, this whole thing is. It's because I was such a trouble-maker back then that I'm here now. I wish I wasn't like that back then. Maybe then, Mr. Tipton would be fine with me dating London."

She squeezed his shoulders again. "But that is how you were and I wouldn't have you any other way."

He met his mother's eyes. "Really?"

"Sure it was difficult like all the time, but... you being the way you were made you who you are now, and I wouldn't trade that for anything."

Zack smirked. "Thanks, mom. And I guess you won't have to worry about me causing trouble because I'm just going to be depressed all the time. I don't know if I'll ever be happy again."

Carey was silent for a moment, then said, wanting her son to feel at least a bit happier, "How about we forget about all that for a moment and order a pizza? Whatever you want, with whatever sides you want."

Zack's interest piqued. "Seriously? Any pizza with any side?"

"Yes. Whatever you want."

"Sweet."

They ordered pizza, along with garlic bread sticks, cheese sliders, and three types of soda, and they put in a movie... but that was only a small comfort for Zack. He ached to be back on the ship and with London and everyone else, especially London. He wanted to be with her, to kiss her, hug her, walk along the decks with her, hang out... and make her smile. But he won't be able to do any of that. Ever again.

* * *

The dock was absolutely filled with people, and London hated that she had to be seen in Bailey's clothes. But she had to be in disguise so she's not recognized. She had to admit, it was a clever idea. She wore a jeans skirt of Bailey's, as well as a blue plaid blouse, a cowboy hat, and cowboy boots, and her hair was in two braids on either side of her head. The suitcase she rolled with her contained more of Bailey's country clothes, as well as bare necessities, like a brush, makeup, and only _three_ pairs of shoes. She was appalled at that. Normally she would bring ten for one day.

"Okay, now I have to find _The Lilac_," London muttered, knowing that was the boat she had to board that would take her to Jacksonville, Florida, and from there, a boat to Charleston, South Carolina. From there... her friends were still figuring that out. It was only yesterday that they planned this, after all. She had a notepad with her to remind her, and she had both Bailey and Cody on speed dial. Her father monitored everyone she talked to, texting and calling, so she and her friends had to make up some type of way to communicate without her father knowing what they are up to, like a jumble of letters that she would have to unscramble to make where she needs to go next. She's going to need help with that, and that means asking strangers. But she'll do whatever she can to get to Zack. And once she reaches her destination, she needs to simply text "I'm here!" to her friends, and then Cody will send her that nonsense text.

She spotted _The Lilac_, whatever a lilac is, and it looked like a small ferry. She paid the fair and boarded it. Once on, she stood at the railing as a warm wind blew, and stared at the giant _SS Tipton_. Boy, will she be in trouble when this is all over. Mr. Moseby, Ms. Tuttweiller, and her father will all have a horse when they find out what she and her friends were up to.

The ferry was off, and London remained at the railing. She pulled out her phone and went to Zack's number. She longed to tell Zack about what they're up to, but Cody said that he would do that as to not reveal what they are doing to Mr. Tipton. Zack's going to be shocked, but oh so happy to find that London is going to him.

The sun was warm and London watched as the water went by. She honestly loved being off of the _SS Tipton_ and away from that stupid sea school and on a cute boat that was just her size. This was the life, aside from the country clothes. To anyone, she looked like an Asian cowgirl, which was, according to Cody, a... what did he call it? An oxi... moral? Moran? She couldn't remember. He just said that Asia and the American country are pretty much opposites.

But whatever. London's just happy that this is a way she can go to Zack and not have her father watching her every move.

Time passed, and London went to the ferry's food court and got something to eat—a gourmet burger and fries, according to the waitress, since they didn't have caviar, crab or other delicious foods—and then just sat around, bored. Too bad these boats were too small to have at least a gift shop—London would spend the hours shopping. She should have made Cody and Bailey put her on a bigger and faster boat that wouldn't take eight hours to get to Jacksonville. Heck, they should have put her on a jet straight to Boston! And she would have paid with cash.

She pulled out her phone and called Cody, but stopped. She shouldn't use her phone since her calls are monitored. She asked a lady sitting near her, giving her the excuse that she didn't have a phone, and the lady let her use it. She typed in Cody's number, then called him.

"Hello?" he said after three rings.

"Cody, it's London. I'm using some lady's phone so Daddy wouldn't know."

"Oh, hey, London! Are you on the ferry?"

"Yes, and it's taking forever! It's been only two hours, and I'm bored stiff. How can I do this all the way to Boston? Just book a jet so I can fly to Boston in no time."

"We talked about this, London. You have to show your ID whenever you get on any type of air craft and you're in the system with a picture. Boats, buses and trains are the best way to get to Boston if you don't want to be found."

"But they still have my name."

"I know. But your father isn't going to look into little ferries and buses while he's looking for you. Just hang in there, okay?"

London huffed. "You know what? Forget this. I'm going to risk it all and get on a plane when I get to Jacksonville. Goodbye, Cody."

She shut the phone and handed it back to the lady. She went outside and leaned against the railing, watching the water go by. This is going to be a very long trip.

* * *

It was utter humiliation when he went to his first day back at public school. People knew that the Martin twins were able to attend a sea school, so seeing just one of them back rose questions. And Zack didn't want to answer them. No one knew that he was dating London Tipton, and the reason why he's back is so Mr. Tipton can keep him away from London.

"I'm seriously going to go crazy..." Zack muttered as he left out the doors after school. Bob was the main person where kept on asking Zack what was going on, and Zack finally gave in and told him. They were friends before after all. So, there was actually one person who knew, and he promised to keep it a secret.

"Home," Zack said when he stepped into the suite. No one answered back, which gave Zack a start. Usually Cody or his mom would be there to welcome him back. And this time, no one. His mom must be working. "Well, better get to my bellboy job."

Zack changed into another work uniform. He would rather where the smoothie counter one—it was less flashy. He twerked his nose at his reflection and went on downstairs to the lobby. And it was _busy_. Zack got to work, and by the time it slowed down three hours later, Zack's arms _ached_.

"I seriously don't know how you did it, Esteban," Zack said out of breath as he leaned against the front desk.

"It takes a lot of practice to build that arm strength," Esteban said in his accent. "But until then, you'll get used to your arms feeling like they are going to fall off any moment."

"Right," Zack huffed.

Esteban eyed his blonde friend for a moment. "Are you okay, amigo?"

"If okay means I want to jump into the Atlantic and swim back to the _SS Tipton_, then yes, I'm okay."

"Your mother told me about why you're here, and I have to say... I'm sorry my little blonde friend."

Zack started at Esteban, and his heart started to race in alarm. "Wait, what? Mom told you why I'm here?"

"Yes, she did. And I have to admit, I was surprised to find out that you were dating London, and so proud of you for fighting Mr. Tipton so you can be with her."

"Yeah, but it all tanked. And now I'm here."

Esteban patted his shoulder. "Just hang in there, amigo. You never know if a miracle will happen."

"Like what kind of miracle?" he scoffed, then he heard his phone ring in his pocket. He knew he wasn't supposed to have his cell phone on him while working, but he looked at the caller ID anyway. "It's Cody." He looked to Esteban. "Can I take a ten?"

"Sure thing, but don't tell anyone, okay? I can't have favorites."

Cody went off near the elevators and answered the phone. "Hey, man, it's about time you called."

"Sorry, things have been pretty crazy. And speaking of that, I have to tell you something, and you might want to sit down while I tell you."

Zack creased his brows, wondering what was going on. He sat in a nearby chair against the wall near the elevators. "What's up?"

"Well, you know how we said that we would do something about this whole situation? Well, we're doing something about it. Actually, London's doing the toughest part. She's on her way to Boston right now."

Zack shot up from his seat. "London's _what_? She headed up to Boston? How? When will she get here?"

"The when part is difficult to say. We actually came up with a plan so Mr. Tipton wouldn't be able to trace her actions. She's on a ferry right now, and we planned to have her boat hop up to Boston, but that would take days, and London isn't that patient. Bailey and I are trying to find some sort of flight transportation that will allow her to slip through the cracks without being noticed or traced by her father."

Zack ran a hand down his face. "Wow, man... you actually put something crazy like that together?"

"Yes, but hear me out. London's dressed in Bailey's clothes so she's not recognized." Zack snorted, amused. "Yeah, I know. She hated the idea, but she was willing do to it for the sake of your guy's relationship, and tot prove to her father that what he did was completely irrational."

Zack sat there there for a moment, and Cody had to ask if he was still there. "Yeah, I'm here. I just can't believe this. Where's London now?"

"She would still be on the ferry to Jacksonville. Bailey and are still looking for a plane." Zack heard Bailey say "Still looking" in the background. "We have four more hours to find a flight for London. She doesn't know it yet, though. We have to use a code so Mr. Tipton doesn't suspect anything."

Zack nodded, even though Cody couldn't see him do so. "Again, this is probably the craziest thing you've ever done, as well as London, but... thanks, for all of this. Honestly, I was about to die of depression. I hate not being on the ship, and I hate not being with London even more."

"You're welcome, Zack."

Zack saw Esteban across the lobby, pointing to his watch. Zack got the message. "Well, as much as I don't want to, I have to get back to work. Esteban's bugging me."

"Oh, yeah, mom told me about your new bellboy job. How's that going?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"I guess not. I'm sorry."

"Just get London here safely. I don't dare try to call her since her dad would know."

"I can tell her to call you on someone else's phone. She did that when she had to call me to tell me that she's going to take a plane and not several boats or trains or buses up to Boston. That's why Bailey and I are hurrying to try and find a flight—London will board the first plan she sees. Her stubbornness and determination is almost as bad as yours."

Zack smirked. That's so like London. "Yes, tell her to call me. I'm dying to hear her voice."

"Will do. See ya, Zack. And I mean it. This will work."

"Hopefully. It may bring London here, but who knows what will happen after that? Mr. Tipton's going to explode and then I really will never get to see London again."

"Well, hopefully this convinces him that no matter where you go, London will follow, and vise-versa. You can't separate two people who are in love."

Esteban pointed to his watch again. Zack said. "Right. Well, I really have to go now. Update me, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Zack."

"Bye. And thanks again."

Zack hung up and stared at his phone for a moment. London is actually going to travel over the whole East Coast to get to him. He grinned. Zack's determination and adrenaline elevated. The fight is still on, and this time, they are going to win.


	14. Chapter 14

_There's a little puzzle in the first section to this chapter. See if you can figure it out without jumping ahead to the answer =)_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

London's phone dinged. That means she received a text message. Her heart jumped—that's Cody telling her what to do next! But what will he do when he finds out that she will actually take a plane and not some other boat or train or rank bus? She stood there at the railing of the dock in Jacksonville as she watched the ferry move on elsewhere, and after she spent eight grueling hours on that ferry. She should look at her text messages. Cody and Bailey are her friends, as well as Woody who's aboard with this also.

She pulled out her phone as the wind blew her braids and almost blew her hat right off. She held onto it as she opened her phone and stared at the message alert. "Just look at it, London."

People passed her, and as she was about to open the text message, she noticed a bit of black in the corner of her eye. Her heart pulsed and she quickly looked away, hiding her face in Bailey's hat. Those men in suites looked awfully familiar...

London quickly walked away after stuffing her phone into her purse. Well, it was one of Bailey's since mostly every purse that London owns is shimmery.

London hid behind a stack of suitcases that need to be lifted onto the ferry that was just docking. Why the heck are her father's men in Jacksonville?! She had to ditch her own bodyguard that her father attached to her side... Oh, no, did he find out about the plan and tell her father about it? Maybe he saw her sneaking away when she left her friends at the dock in Miami? No, he would've noticed. Then why are they here?

She peaked from behind the suitcases and saw the men. "I think I saw her go this way," one of them said and London gasped and hid again. What should she do?! She fumbled for her phone and pulled up Cody's message. As planned, it was a jumble of letters. She didn't have time to unscramble all the words! She has to figure it out for herself. She really had to think.

"'Kate weN orkY alirisen ot enstBo! 30:6 mp, barueFry 15, cakJolnsilve pAitror,'" she read with difficulty. "What the heck does this mean?" she whined. She looked around frantically for someone to help her. She spotted a cab. She ran for it and shoved someone out of the way and got in the yellow car. She looked out the window and saw that the suited men were still walking about and looking around, most likely for her.

"Where to, Miss?" asked the middle-aged man at the wheel. He had an Indian accent, like he was from India.

The men were still there, looking. "Anywhere. Just get me away from the docks! Just drive and I'll tell you when to stop."

"Okay..." the man said, a little unsure. "As you wish."

He drove on and London let out a breath. "That was close. But now where do I have to go?"

"You don't know where you need to go?" asked the driver.

"I would know if I could figure out what this text says. My friend likes to jumble up words for the fun of it and I can never figure out what he means," she lied. "He told me I have to go to a certain place, I know that much."

The driver grinned. "Oh, I see... And this friend? Is he a special friend and he want to meet you somewhere in the city?" He gave her a wink and London made a face.

"Uhg, no, not Cody. I would never date him." She recalled their fake dating. "At least real dating. I'm dating his twin brother, and I have to meet him somewhere."

"Is that the location in your text message?"

"Yes, and I can't figure it out!"

The man grinned again. "Well, it so happens that I am an expert puzzle-solver. I can pull over and have a look."

"Oh my gosh, would you? I will pay you twice the taxi fare."

"No need for that." He paused. "If you insist."

He pulled over on this busy street and cars zoomed passed them. London handed the man her phone and he took a look. She glanced out the window at the crowded beach and the sparkling ocean. She would love to take Zack on a vacation and have them just lounge on the beach, soaking up the sun. If this plan doesn't work, that's a dream that's never going to come true. Actually, it may never come true if her father is as determined as she is at this moment.

"You say that this is a location?" asked the driver and London came back to what they were doing.

"Yes. He's supposed to tell me where to go next."

"Well, he is telling you to do something, as well as where you are going to do it, as well as the time and date you are supposed to do it."

She was getting impatient. "So? What does it say?"

"Your friend is telling you, 'Take New York Airlines to Boston! 6:30 pm, February 15, Jacksonville Airport.'"

London gasped, shocked by this. "He's telling me to fly? After the conversation that we had? He listened to me!"

The phone dinged. "He has sent you another message. It is jumbled as well." He paused for a minute. "He says 'Pay in cash. Good luck.'" He handed London back her phone. "Well, if you want to make your flight, then we have to get a move-on. It is already 5:45, and the lines can be really long in the airport."

"Well then, drive!"

The cab was off and London's leg moved up and down rapidly in anxiousness. She will get caught if her father finds out about this, if he hasn't already. But she will being paying cash, which mean no credit card slip. Only her name will be in the system... and her ID. Well, that's why Cody said 'good luck.' She's going to need it.

"We are here," the driver said when they arrived twenty minutes later, and London paid the cab fare—twice the amount as she said she would—and left the cab with her suitcase. The driver poked his head out the driver's side window. "Good luck!"

"Thanks!" she shouted back and ran into the airport, pulling her suitcase. She was finally able to take a breath when she sat in economy class on the plan. Of course, she always takes first class, but she had to lay low.

"Miss, please put your carry-one under the seat in front of you," said a stewardess as she walked by. London did so, even though she wondered why she had to do it. She never rides economy—they had their rules, apparently.

London sat back up after putting Bailey's purse under the seat. She turned around and looked at all the people, most of them dressed in shirts that had palm trees on them. But a few didn't. London's heart nearly stopped when she spotted familiar faces a few rows behind her...

Her father's men.

* * *

London stayed hunkered down in her seat. She was shocked that the same men who she saw on the docks were on the plane with her. They followed her! And that means that her father knows that she's there and knows what she's doing! She had to complement her father for knowing when she and her friends have done everything to keep this a secret... he really knows how to find people. She would know.

"Attention passengers," said a male voice over the intercom, "we are experiencing engine malfunctions and need to land to see to them. We will be landing in Richmond International Airport in Richmond, Virginia. We apologize for the delay. We will be on our way to Boston as soon as possible."

London heard groans all around her, but her heart was lifting. She can escape those men!

The plane started descending and London felt it in her stomach. She loves to fly, just not the landing part of it. The plane soon landed and rolled into the airport. The speaker came on again. "Ladies and gentlemen, there will be an estimated two-hour delay, so if you wish to leave the plane, then you may. The doors will be opening shortly."

London waited until she saw people stand up and leave. When the person on the speaker said it was okay to do so, people started filing out and London hid herself in them. She hoped at that those men didn't see her as she hid in between people. She has always cursed her five-foot-two height, but it came into handy this time.

Seeing the inside of the airport was a welcomed sight. She quickly hid behind a wall and peeked around it to see if she could spot those men. People walked out of the tunnel that leads to the plane, and after a minute, there were those two men.

"Okay, I have to go," London said and briskly walked passed restaurants, restrooms and little gift shops. "Gosh, Daddy is being so annoying..."

London followed the signs that led to where you have to buy tickets. She has to get on another plane as soon as possible. When she got there, she waited in line anxiously, and watched to see if those men were coming. So far so good.

"Next, right here!" shouted a lady at the counter.

"Hello," London said. "I need a plane ticket for any plane going to Boston, and I need it fast!"

"Alright, let's see..." the woman in a tight blonde bun said. London looked around for those men. Thankfully, they weren't around.

"Are there any?" she prodded.

"The very next flight is on Delta Airlines, and it leaves in one hour."

"One hour?" London gasped. "I need it sooner, like in the next ten minutes! Gosh, I wish I was able to take my private jet."

"That is the soonest flight to Boston, and then there is another plane for New York Airlines that had to land here for maintenance."

"I was already on that one," London whined. "I need to get to Boston faster, and not on that plane."

"I'm sorry, miss, but that Delta flight is the soonest flight to Boston."

London didn't have a choice. "Okay, okay, I'll take that one." She paid and was given her tickets. She headed to where the gate was located and spotted the men again, and one was talking on a cell phone. London hid behind a stand-up poster for some restaurant. She heard the man say,

"No, Sir, we still have not found her. Yes, we followed her onto the plane, but it had to land due to engine difficulties. She left the plane for the layover, and we lost sight of her." A pause. "Yes, Sir, we will keep on looking."

London's heart beat speedily in fear that she could get caught, after all this work of getting back to Boston. "There's no way I'm getting caught now," she muttered in confidence. "I have to do this."

"Do what?"

London jumped and she looked over to find a bright blue-eyed girl with blonde hair crouching with her. London stared at her. "Who are you?"

"I should be asking you that question. Why are you hiding?"

"Why are _you _hiding?" she countered.

"I just wanted to see if you needed any help."

London looked the girl up and down for a moment. She wore trendy, fashionable clothes—a teal blouse and silver pants—clothes that London wouldn't mind wearing herself. Maybe this girl isn't that bad. "Nevermind. I Just need a way to get to Boston."

The girl's brows rose. "Really? I'm from Boston. I was actually headed there. Do you need a ride?"

"Isn't Boston a bit far away from here?" London asked, thinking of going by car.

"No, silly, a lift in my private jet."

London gasped. "Private jet? You have a private jet?"

"Sure do! I got it for my twentieth birthday."

This girl is only a year older than London, and she's rich from the sound of it. "Yes, take me to Boston! I have to get out of here."

The girl looked off at the suited men. "Are you trying to get away from them?" She pointed to them.

"Yes, they're my daddy's men, and they're looking for me." She indicated her outfit. "I don't normally wear stuff like this. I'm in disguise."

"I wasn't going to ask." She held out her hand. "I'm Casey."

"London." She shook her head. "Now, are we going to go?"

Casey looked out from behind the poster. The men were looking away from them. "They're not looking. Let's go!"

They came out of their hiding place right as one of them men turned. He pointed. "Found her!"

"Go, go, go!" Casey urged and the girls ran. London looked behind her and saw the two suited men pursuing them. Oh, how she hoped that they would lose them. She followed Casey, and surprisingly did not have a hard time running in Bailey's cowboy boots. London was used to walking and running in tall heels. She even goes to her gym class in heels.

"This way!" Casey shouted and they rounded a corner, and London found herself being pulled through a doorway. They were suddenly outside in warm weather. London spotted the jet. "This is it! Now let's get on, quick!"

London followed and soon boarded the jet, which looked very similar to London's own private jet. Once Casey ordered the pilet to go, London looked to her as Casey collapsed into one of the leather seats. "Just how rich are you? I have a private jet just like this one. In fact, I have three!"

"Not as rich as you, that's for sure, London Tipton."

That gave London a start. "You know who I am? Even when I'm dressed like this?"

"Of course I do. Our fathers do business with each other sometimes. My last name is Covington."

A light bulb went on in London's head and she pointed at Casey. "Oh yeah! I went to your sweet sixteen birthday party, I think."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

The jet took off and London looked out one of the windows. The suited men had just ran out and watched the jet take off, and one held his forehead in disdain that they didn't get them. London sat down in the seat. "Well, they aren't a problem anymore. I'm just worried about what Daddy's going to do. He knows that I escaped the ship."

"Ship?"

"Yes, the _SS Tipton_. I lived on that ship, and went to that stupid sea school."

"I almost went to that sea school, but my father made other plans for me. So why aren't you on it anymore? Why are you trying to escape your father's men while wearing a country girl disguise?"

London faced her, readying herself to tell the story. "Well, I fell in love with a great guy that he didn't approve of, and he sent that guy to Boston. Now, I'm going to Boston without Daddy knowing. At least, I thought he didn't know."

Casey put a hand to her heart. "Aw... how sweet! You're trying to make it back to your man."

"Yeah, I just hope that Daddy's men aren't at the front entrance ready to keep me out."

"The front entrance to what?"

"The Tipton. That's where Zack—my boyfriend—is."

"Your boyfriend is staying at The Tipton? Wow, he must be rich, too. Then why would your father not approve of him?"

"Zack isn't rich. His mom works at The Tipton so he got to live here with his brother before they started the sea school. Now he's living there again without his brother. The two of them caused a whole lot of trouble, and that's why Daddy doesn't approve of Zack—he's a trouble-maker, and he's poor. But I don't care about those things. He loves me and I love him and that's all that matters."

Casey nodded. "I agree. And there's no stopping two people who are in love with each other. Do you have a picture of Zack?"

"Daddy made me delete all of them, but I kept one." She got out her phone and pulled up Zack's picture. She handed the phone to Casey and she gasped.

"Oh wow, he's cute! But he also looks a bit young."

"He's sixteen."

She gasped. "You're dating a sixteen-year-old?"

"Yes, but I don't care that he's younger than me. We love each other."

"Love knows no bounds." She handed London back her phone. "You said he has a brother, right? He's older, I hope."

London noticed the hopeful glint in Casey's eyes. "No, Zack's the older one, but by only a few minuets. You know, before I started dating Zack, I couldn't tell them apart."

"Oh, so they're twins! Well, if his twin is available, I wouldn't mind a shot at him, even if he's four years younger than me."

"Cody's dating someone. These clothes actually belong to her. She's some country bumpkin from the middle states."

"Aw, man... Too bad."

"Miss Covington, we are arriving," said the pilot over the intercom.

Casey beamed. "Well, London, prepare to be reunited with your love. We will land and then we can take my limo to The Tipton."

London's heart lifted and her chest started to tighten due to how happy she suddenly became. "Yes! Here I come, Zackie!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Did this woman's bags have bricks in them or something? It was as if they weighed a ton each. Zack wheezed as he lifted them onto the baggage cart, and the middle-aged lady just stood there next to him looking at something on her phone. He huffed. It irritated him that bell boys were pretty much pack mules in hotels. And they were treated as such. "Well, go on," the woman told him and Zack frowned. He wheeled the cart on, and she followed. Is she going to follow him the whole way to the twentieth floor?

As Zack waited at the elevators, he looked around the lobby at the guests and employees bustling about. He and Cody had so much fun wreaking havoc down that ramp, around the front desk, and drove Mr. Moseby crazy while doing so. Those were good times. He missed them, but not as much as he misses the _SS Tipton_. And _London _Tipton. When is he ever going to see her again? Probably never, if Mr. Tipton has anything to do with it. What will the man do when he finds out what London is up to? When is she going to show up anyway? He intensely anticipated her arrival. Cody only called him that morning, it being around 8pm now, so she has a long way to go.

The elevator doors dinged and then opened. Zack stepped in and noticed in the sliver of space before the doors closed, a girl dressed in country clothes and hat walking into the lobby with a hot blonde girl. Zack stared at the blonde girl, but was not able to for long before the doors closed and the elevator went up.

_That girl was hot_, Zack thought, but quickly dismissed it. Even if he still loves girls, he's in love with one and is in this hotel as a bell boy because of her. But being in love with a girl can's stop a guy from checking a girl out. It's just an automatic thing. But still, Zack felt guilty for thinking that girl was hot. He couldn't see the country girl's face, but he could see that in the second that he saw her that she had dark hair and tan skin.

Zack started. _Wait, dark hair and tan skin... And she was wearing country clothes..._

Zack gasped and the woman whose bags he was carrying looked over at him. "What is it young man?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm sorry."

The lady went back to what she was doing on her phone and Zack's heart began to beat hard like a bass drum in his chest. That girl couldn't have been London. She still had another few days until she arrives. But Cody said that she didn't want to take busses, boats or trains, and he was thinking of getting her onto a plane. If that was the case, then she would be in Boston by the next day—which is tomorrow, but what if it was a jet? She could be here already!

The elevator dinged and doors opened. Zack booked it out of the elevator and down the hallway, and he ignored the lady asking what the rush was. He quickly dropped her bags off into her suite, then booked it back to the elevator with the luggage cart and bounced up and down anxiously as the elevator descended to the first floor. "C'mon..." Zack muttered in impatience.

The doors finally opened and Zack rushed out of the elevator and looked all over the lobby for the girl dressed in country clothes. She was nowhere to be seen. He spotted Esteban at the front desk and ran up to him.

"Esteban!" he shouted, which made his friend jump.

"Ey, yay yay, muchacho, what is it?" Esteban asked in his accent.

"Did you just see a girl dressed in country clothes enter the lobby earlier? She was with a blonde girl."

"I sure did. But they ran out of the lobby and through to the restaurant when a couple of really scary-looking big men came and started chasing them. Honestly, I felt badly for the poor young ladies."

"Was London one of them?"

Esteban's brows pushed together. "London? I thought she was at the sea school."

It would be better if Esteban didn't know what London was up to. "Nevermind. You said men were chasing them?"

"Yes, men in suits. They looked like the ones that Mr. Tipton is always surrounded with."

Fear shot through Zack's system. Those are Mr. Titpon's men! That means that London is actually in the hotel, and her father knows what she's been up to!

"Esteban, I'm going on a break," Zack said, and then zoomed off towards the restaurant, and he didn't hear if Esteban respond to him. He came to the restaurant, went into the main dining part of it on the inside, then to the outside dining area, but didn't see the girls. Then he went on to the kitchen. They weren't in there, either.

"Where the heck are they?" he muttered. He retreated to the hallway, and that's when he saw two girls running, and one of them was in a cowboy hat! Zack ran for it, and followed the girls out to the lobby, desperately wanting to see London. And there she was, standing by the elevators with the blonde girl.

"C'mon, get here faster!" the blonde girl pleaded of the elevators.

"Yes, come on!" London pleaded as well. Both girls had fear in their features, but Zack had a grin on his face. The elevators opened and the girls ran into them, and that's when the suited men appeared.

"London!" Zack shouted and ran up to the elevators right as the men were doing so. He saw London inside the elevator as the doors were closing. "London!"

"Zack!" she shouted when she saw him, but it was too late. The doors already closed and the suited men groaned in dismay. Zack watched the numbers go up on the screen above the doors that say what floor the elevators are going. It stopped 24. He ran from the elevators and to where the stairs were. Up he goes.

Wheezing, he finally made it up to the 24th floor. He ran out and cantered down the hallways, looking for London and her new friend. If she _was _new. He never kept track of her friends.

Zack went on and turned a corner, but ran into someone. He looked to see who it was, hoping to find London there, but it was that blonde. Her eyes widened and she pointed at Zack. "Oh my gosh, you're him! You're London's boyfriend Zack! I'm Casey."

He eyed her hand when she extended it. "We can get to introductions later. Where's London?"

Casey retracted her hand, and fear etched her pretty features. Zack surmised that she was around nineteen or twenty. "I don't know. Those men were following us, and then I lost her. What if they got her?"

Fear pulsed through Zack's system. "Then let's go get her!"

Together, they ran down the hallways, calling London's name. When they hit the elevators, they hadn't found her. "Where the heck is she?" Casey asked with a whine in her voice. "She was just with me."

"How'd she meet you, anyway?"

"We met at the airport and we took my private jet to get here."

So she _did _take a plane! "You have a private jet? Are you as rich as London?"

"I'm rich, but not as rich as London."

Zack stared at her for a moment, and he noticed pink fill her cheeks at his stare. "London's friends wouldn't admit to not being as rich as her..."

"Well, I'm not London's friend—yet. I'm just an acquaintance. I hope to be her friend. And, since she has a boyfriend who happens to have a realy cute twin, I have all the more reason."

He noticed the glint in her blue eyes. "Psht, fat chance. One, he already has a girlfriend, and two, there's not much to the guy, aside from the fact that he's smart."

"Ooo, smart and cute—a great combination. Well, you never know if the two of them will break up."

Zack shook his head at that, and noticed that he still wore his bell boy hat. He took it off, and right at that moment, he saw someone come down the hallway. He dropped the hat and happiness shot through him. "London!"

She turned and spotted him. "Zack!"

They ran to each other and bombarded each other in a tight hug. He held London close, loving that same perfume. "London, I can't even say how great it is to hold you again."

"I know, and it's great to hold you again, too, if we last did it a couple days ago. And..." She brought him back in front of her and leaned in. His pulse rose as she started kissing him, and he in turn held her form to him and kissed her back. And oh how wonderful it felt to feel her lips on his again!

"Ahem," they heard and unhooked. They turned and looked back at Casey, who has a beaming smile on her face.

"You two are the cutest couple I've ever seen, but I—I mean _we_—really have to get out of here. Those men might be coming."

"Right," Zack said, then turned to London. "I'll definitely be kissing you later, honey."

"And I will be, too, Zackie. Even in your tacky uniform."

He eyed her outfit. "Yeah, and speaking of tacky outfits..."

"Hey, I had no choice. If I didn't want to be recognized, I had to wear Bailey's trashy country clothes."

"Well, apparently they didn't help since you got found out anyway."

"Okay, enough chit-chat," Casey begged. "Let's go."

"Right," Zack and London said at the same time, and when the three young adults turned around, there were were those two men staring at them with menacing eyes. Zack noticed London's smile immediately turn into a frown.

"Now we finally have you," one of the men said, and London stepped back. The two men came up and each took either of Casey's arms. London and Zack stared at the scene in confusion.

"Wait, what's going on? You're not my daddy's men?" London pointed at them.

"No, we work for Miss Covington's father. She escaped as she was on her way to visit her mother in DC, and tried to get on a plane to Boston after sailing on a ferry."

"Wait, so you guys were looking for her instead of me at the docks in Jacksonville?"

"Yes. She escaped our watch and went straight to the airport. That's when we followed her onto a plane, but she escaped in the sudden layover. That is when we saw her running with you, and then chased you until you got on her private jet, which she called ten minutes before then, according to her father."

"So... Daddy isn't looking for me?" She looked to Casey. "Why didn't you tell me those were your daddy's men and not my daddy's?"

"We both were running from the eyes of our fathers, so I didn't feel the need to see anything," she said with a shrug of her shoulder. "Plus, it was a lot of fun playing cat and mouse with these two guys. And I got you to Boston, didn't I?"

"Well, yeah..."

"But now that you're here at the hotel, you're bound to be seen," Casey said. "The both of you. London, I'll call you later, okay, and maybe I can convince my father to go on a cruise with me on the _SS Tipton_." She looked to Zack. "And I can introduce myself to Cody."

Zack didn't say anything to that. One of the men said, "Well, time to go, Miss Covington."

"Fine, fine. See you guys!" She waved to Zack and London and they waved back. "It was great to meet you, Zack. Never give up London for anything, you hear me? She's crazy in love with you."

He gave London a loving look. "I know."

Casey was pulled away and they went into the elevators. London and Zack just stood there in the hallway. "Well, you're dad's probably seen us by now from the hotel cameras. If he didn't know about this before, he does now."

London folded her arms. "Yeah, and that means we can't take one of my private jets to the ship. I came here in Casey's."

"Maybe she could take us back?"

"No, she might be in too much trouble with her own daddy."

"That's true." They stood there thinking, and Zack's phone dinged. He pulled it out and saw that he got a text from Esteban, telling him to come back from his break since he's been gone too long. Zack thought of something. "Hm..."

"What?"

"I have an idea."

* * *

What exactly was Zack thinking?

London watched and listened as Zack talked to Esteban. The South American man was very surprised to see London, and very happy to see that his two friends were reunited after what they had to go through.

"Wait, what exactly do you want me to do again?" Esteban asked Zack as they stood at the front desk, and Esteban was behind it.

"I want you to call Mr. Tipton and distract him while London and I make our escape."

"Escape? But who will be the bell boy?"

"Someone who isn't me. C'mon, Esteban, you know that I'm not cut out for the job. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not as strong as I look."

"I admit that you're right, but someone still needs to transport the luggage from the lobby to the suites."

"Well, what about you?"

"I'm the manager now. Well, night manager. The day manager got the flu, so I'm pulling double duty for a week. I don't have time to be the bell boy, even though I did it so well before."

London shook her head at him bragging. She came up to the desk. "Please do this for us, Esteban. Zack and I really need to get out of here and back to the _SS Tipton_, and the only way we can do that is if we take one of my private jets. And the only way Daddy won't know about it is if he's on the phone with someone while we're escaping."

"But I value my job..." Esteban whined.

"You won't lose your job, Esteban," Zack said. "When I text you, call him with a real concern that the hotel has, and make sure it's a concern that will take a while to resolve so London and I have time to get the jet to the ship. He won't know the difference."

"Yeah, and I'll make sure that the pilot doesn't say a thing," London added.

Esteban looked in between his two friends for a moment, then said, defeated, "Alright. But who is going to take the bell boy job?"

London huffed. She looked around the lobby, and when she spotted a young man who looked in his early twenties, she went over to him. "Hey, I'll give you $1,000 flat if you become the hotel bell boy until they find a new one."

The guy stared at her for a moment, perplexed, and then she pulled out the wad of money from her purse. The brunette guy beamed. "Done deal!"

She gave him the cash, went to Zack, took his hat and then placed it on the random guy's head. She turned to her friends as the guy began getting people's luggage. "There. Taken care of. Now Zack, we need to go."

"Yeah, we do. Just let me run up and change first."

"Okay."

They left, and once Zack was changed, and his suitcase was packed, they took a cab to a park near the harbor that had a large field that could land a jet. London had already made the call, and Zack already texted Esteban to call Mr. Tipton.

"I really hope this works," London said as they stood there, and the sky was dark with night.

"It will," Zack reassured. "Hopefully."

They heard a motor and looked up and saw the jet's lights a ways off. It soon landed and relief flooded through London's body. "It's here! Let's go and get back to that ship." She paused. "Gosh, I never thought that I would actually want to go back to that sea school."

"It's worth it, London. I love it there, and I love it when you're there."

"Aw..." she gushed and hugged him. She loved how it felt, holding him close.

The jet landed and the two teens came out of their embrace. The door opened and the stairs came out, and Zack and London were about to run for up those stairs, but they stopped dead in their tracks when they saw who was stepping down them. London's happiness immediately drained.

It's her father, and he does not look happy.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"London, just what do you think you are doing?"

This was the first time in London's life that she has been legitimately afraid of her father. Well, maybe not afraid of _him_, just what he will do. She glanced at the pilot in the jet and knew that she would have to give him a stern talking to since the man said something to her father when he said he wouldn't. That's why she didn't want to take her private jets in the first place—the Tipton employees were all too loyal.

"What does it look like, Daddy?" she quipped. "I'm bringing Zack back to the _SS Tipton_ since he was wrongfully taken off of it."

"He's not going back on that ship. I already made that clear."

Two big men came out of the jet after Mr. Tipton called for them, and they came over to Zack and took each of his arms. "Hey, hey, easy," he protested. London was near tears.

"Please, Daddy, this isn't fair," she pleaded, with her chest tightening and her chest constricting. "I been through a lot in getting here. Just look at what I'm wearing. I would _never _wear something like this unless it was really, really important. That should tell you how special Zack is to me."

Mr. Tipton walked up to her, his hands clasped behind his back. "I understand that, London, but I don't want you to be with a trouble-maker like him. He's poor, unkempt, dull, and not that smart."

"I'm standing right here, you know," Zack piped up as he was still held by the big suited men.

"He will be sent back to The Tipton and you, will take this jet with me back to the _SS Tipton_." London's fists clenched, and her father noticed. "London, you know I was serious when I said I didn't want you to be with him."

"But this whole situation should tell how serious _I _am about him."

"Regardless, he's going back to The Tipton and you are going back to the _SS Tipton_." He snapped his fingers. "Take him away."

The men started to drag him away, and London grabbed her father's arm in desperation. "Please, please, Daddy, don't do this. I love him. He makes me happy, and I him happy. Actually, I think he be the best thing that has ever happened to me. And you want to take that away from me?"

"Wait, I'm the best thing that has ever happened to you?" Zack asked as he tried to resist the men. London gave him a loving look.

"Yes, you are. You're more important to me than all my money and jewels."

"And you're more important to me than my video games, and even that spicy shrimp, which is saying something."

"Aww…" London gushed, putting her hands to her heart.

Mr. Tipton cleared his throat loudly. "That's enough. Off he goes." He waved his hand and the men pulled Zack away to a sleek black car. Zack shouted as the men were pushing him into the car,

"I love you, London! We'll find another way to be together, I promise."

The men pushed Zack in and the car sped off out of the park. Tears stung London's eyes and she looked to her father. She gave him a mean look. He sighed. "London, I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

"As much as he makes you happy, he is not good for you or the Tipton image. You know that. We've been over this before."

"But I don't care! Who cares about image and all that? I just want to be with him."

To London, image was everything, so her saying this was really a shocking thing and really showed her father just how serious she was. He turned and walked back to the jet. London muttered, "How can you be so mean?"

"I'm not being mean, I'm being strict," he said without turning around. "You'll thank me for this someday."

"I don't think so."

He didn't say anything to that. "We should go. Come."

London begrudgingly followed her father onto the jet, and not a word was spoken as the two sat for the two hour journey to where the ship was. When the jet landed on the ship, her friends were there to greet her since she had texted Cody of what happened. He, Bailey and Woody were there, giving her a sad expression.

"We're so sorry it didn't work, London," Cody said. "Maybe we weren't as careful as we thought."

The jet took off right as Mr. Moseby came up and made a fit about not being there when Mr. Tipron arrived, and how London and her friends lied about London being sick. Said teens ignored him. "Yeah, we'll think of something else."

London was tired of hearing that. The tears that threatened to come came, and she stalked away from her friends, not wanting to talk to anyone, yet Bailey caught up to her and walked with her back to their room.

This is real. She really may not see Zack again.

* * *

Zack figured all of this wouldn't work, even though he hoped that it would. The whole plan was elaborate, and he and his friends thought that they were careful... well, they weren't careful enough. Mr. Tipton is just too powerful for his own good. What can he and London do now? It's doubtful that another ruse to get them together will work. How come he can't be with the one girl that he has legitimately fell in love with.

"It just isn't fair..."

Carey put an arm around er unhappy son as he sat next to her on the sofa in their suite. Zack had just gotten back. "I'm sorry, honey."

"I just want to be with the girl that I love. Is that too much to ask?"

"Apparently it is for Mr. Tipton. You were already in his bad books, but after this, you have a permanent place."

"That doesn't help," he scoffed. "Now, I have no chance of seeing the _SS Tipton_ and _London _Tipton ever again."

She rubbed his shoulder. "You just have to have some hope, Zack."

"Psht, I did, and it was no use. There's no hope for me now. Or London."

Right at that moment, knocking sounded on the suite door. Carey got up to answer it, and Zack stood up to see Casey standing there. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too, Zack." She let herself in, and Carey muttered, "Come on in" after. She turned to face her. "Hello, you must be Zack's mom. It's very nice to meet you. I'm Casey Covington."

Carey shook the girl's hand. "And it's nice to meet you, too." She gave Zack a questioning look.

"Relax, mom. She's London's friend. She helped London get here in the first place." He looked to Casey. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

She planted her hands on her hips. "I came to help you out a bit. I heard that your plan tanked, so I thought I would put my hand in one more time. And I promise it will be one more time since I'm sure this will work."

"I don't think Mr. Tipton will be able to put up with another scheme to get me and London together."

"Oh, he'll agree this time."

Zack eyed that devious smile of hers. Just what is she up to?

* * *

"There has to be something that we haven't thought about yet."

London sat on her bed as she watched, blankly, as Bailey paced their room about three hours after London arrived back, was reprimanded, as well as her friends, by Mr. Moseby and Miss Tuttweiller. Bailey, Cody and Woody were punished—they were banned from the sky deck and other places of recreation for a week.

"Just forget it, Bailey," London said. "There's no use anymore."

Bailey gave her friend and roommate, who was now out of the country clothes, an alarmed look. "Are you just going to give up?"

"I don't want to risk Daddy getting more upset with me, and with all of you."

"Don't you want to be with Zack?"

"Yeah..."

"Then we have to think of something else. The plan didn't work, so it's time to try again."

London was again grateful that she had such good friends who were willing to help her. "Okay, so... what should we do now?"

Knocking sounded on the door, and Bailey said to come in. In came Cody and Woody. "Have you thought of something yet?" Cody asked.

"No, not yet," said Bailey. "What about you?"

"We have nothing. We tried to be as discreet as we could with the last plan, but Mr. Tipton still found out about the whole thing."

"I bet it was that jet pilot," Woody said. "He probably blabbed to Mr. Tipton about London and Zack trying to escape."

"Yeah, I guess that, too," Bailey said. "So, what should we do?"

London stood up, and at the same time, wiped a tear that was falling. "Just don't do anything, okay? Daddy will know about whatever we try to do, so it's no use. We'll never see Zack again..."

She slumped back down on her bed and whimpered and Bailey went and sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulder. Cody had a sad look in his eyes. "We can't just give up. Zack's obnoxious, but he's London's boyfriend, my twin brother, and our friend. He needs to be here with us."

"But nothing will escape Mr. Tipton, like London said," Bailey said.

They all became silent and London could almost hear the gears in their heads turning. What are each of them thinking? She knew that not much went on in her head, and at the moment, all that was in her head was Zack and how to get back. And, like her friends, she could think of nothing. What the heck is she and her friends going to do?!

Knocking sounded on the door and Woody went to open it. When he did, his mouth dropped. "Uh... hello."

"Hi, is this London's room?"

London recognized that voice! She got up and went to the door and found Casey there. "Casey! What the heck are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too, London. Remember how I said my dad and I should take a cruise on the _SS Tipton_? Well, we flew our private jet straight here after after I had a talk with Zack at The Tipton."

"A talk?" London asked. "About what?"

Casey didn't answer right away, but walked in passed London and stood in front of Cody. "Hey, you must be Cody, Zack's brother! You guys definitely look related."

"That would make sense since we're twins," Cody said. "You must be London's friend Casey who flew her to Boston."

"Yep, that's me!" She took Cody's hand and shook it. "It's really nice to meet you. I've been wanting to meet you since London told me about you."

Cody smiled awkwardly as Casey gave him a flirtatious look. Bailey stepped in and grabbed Casey's hand that was holding Cody's and shook it. "Hi, I'm Bailey, another one of London's friends, _and_ I'm Cody's girlfriend."

London smirked, knowing that Bailey added that last bit on purpose. Woody came in and took Casey's hand that was shaking Bailey's. "I'm Woody, one of Zack and Cody's best pals. It's really nice to meet you, Casey."

Casey gave Woody and unsure look and discreetly took her had away. "Yeah, it's great to meet you, too. Now—on to business. Taking a vacation isn't the only reason why I'm on this ship. I'm here to put in a helping hand in this whole situation. And I'm pretty sure this plan will work."

London came up to her and was momentarily jealous of Casey's long, sleek blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "You have a plan? One that will work?"

"I sure do. I ran the plan by Zack when I was at The Tipton, and when he thought it was a great idea, I ran it by my dad who also thinks it's a good idea. Honestly, he felt badly for you and Zack, so he was more than willing to help."

"Well?" Bailey egged. "What's the plan? We haven't come up with anything so far Out first plan to get Mr. Tipton on the ship worked, but not the second one. Well, the first half worked, but we got found out."

Casey went over to London's vanity desk and took up a bottle of perfume that was in a pink glass bottle in the shape of a heart. She smelled the bottle, then said, "Well, it so happens that my dad is the CEO of a multi-million dollar company that works with the Tipton Corporation on a monthly basis. And works with, meaning that my dad's company gives Tipton Co most of its money. So, how much will Tipton Co suffer if my dad suddenly stops sending Tipton Co all that money?"

Cody's mouth dropped open. "Wait, so you're saying that your father is going to withhold millions of dollars from the Tipton Corporation just so Zack and London can be together?"

All the teens in the room stared at Casey and at this bold idea. London didn't understand a lot of things, and didn't know a lot of things, but she knew that her father is nothing without all his money. Well, neither is she, but she found something more important to her. "Wait, Casey," she began, "your daddy said that he won't give my daddy money unless he agrees to Zack and me being together?"

"More than that," Casey said with a smile. "He's going to speak with your dad in person and say that if he doesn't allow Zack Martin to finish out his high school career at Seven Seas High, the revenue to Tipton Co will stop."

"Are you serious?" Bailey gasped. "Can he do that?"

"Of course he can. Mr. Tipton won't have a choice."

"But what about London?" Woody asked, and all looked at him. "I mean, if Zack comes back, then Mr. Tipton will just pull London off the ship and will send her somewhere else. He really doesn't want her to be with him."

"Why do you have to be such a kill-joy?" Bailey asked.

"What? Mr. Tipton did all this just so London and Zack wouldn't be together. He's bound to just send London away."

"We planned for that, too," Casey said and all turned their attention to her again. "My dad's going to insist that London stay on the ship as well, mainly as a companion and friend for me since we're going to be on this ship for a while. He's going to throw in, 'Oh, so you want to deprive my daughter of her happiness when you already did that with your own?' It's sure to work."

"Wait, so you're staying on the ship for a while?" Woody asked hopefully. "Are going to attend Seven Seas High?"

"No, I'm twenty years old. I just want to take a very long vacation until I go to college."

"Sweet, that means that we can get to know each other better." He stood close to her and she made a face while Bailey and London snickered.

"I think this is a great idea," Cody said. "It's really nice of you and your dad to want to help out, Casey. I just hope this plan works."

She scampered away from Woody and went and hooked her arm with Cody's. Bailey's eyes blazed. "It will. And this extra time will allow me to get to know you a little more."

She gave him that same flirtatious look, and she batted her eyes at him. Bailey cleared her throat and stepped in and took Cody's arm away from her, a possessive look in her eyes. "Yes, I think this is a great plan, too. But we want to get London and Zack together, not anyone else—not someone who already has a girlfriend."

The two girls had a stare-off for a moment, and London saw Woody make a pouty face. It's obvious that the large boy has developed a crush on the pretty blonde, and it was obvious that there is now a love triangle between Cody, Bailey and Casey. But all that doesn't matter!

"Guys!" London hollered, and everyone jumped and looked over at her. "Let's get back to the plan! This is about me and Zack getting back together. Casey, when is your dad going to talk to mine?"

Casey smiled. "Once I give the OK, then he's going to call Mr. Tipton and they will have a meeting right here on this ship. Mr. Tipton is sure to come since Dad is very important to his company."

"Now would be a good time to give the OK," she prodded.

"Yes, it would." She got out her cell phone from her silver purse and pressed a button. A second passed as she held the flip-phone her her ear. "Dad? It's me. It's time." She shut the phone. "Done. Mr. Tipton should be here by tomorrow."

"You're so clever..." Woody said in an awestruck, as well as love-struck, voice.

"Woody, I thought you liked Addison," Bailey commented.

"Who said I liked Addison?" he countered.

"Your constant stares at her at school, and your nervous talk whenever you talk to her."

"Well... a guy can like more than one person, can't he?"

He smiled at Casey, who ignored him and hooked Cody's other arm. London would laugh at the awkward look Cody had on his face as both girls on either of his arms gave each other a mean glare, but she was too excited for this new plan to go into action. And, like everyone else, she hoped it would work. It has to. No more failed plans.


	17. Chapter 17

_Well, everyone... this is the last chapter! Thank you all for reading and reviewing! This was a fun story to write. I always hoped that London and Zack would end up together, and really got my hopes up when they faked being married for a school assignment in one episode, but that's how it is. This story can be wishful thinking for all of us._

_Look for more of my stories on this sight as well as FictionPress (I'm under the same username). Ta ta everyone! =)_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Mr. Moseby knew about Mr. Tipton coming this time, and the young adults stayed far away from the ship's owner when he came. All of them were seating around the smoothie counter as Johnathan, Zack's co-worker, was busy making a Banana Blast smoothie for an elderly lady, who was seated on the far right of the smoothie counter. She eyed all the young adults seated around the counter but they ignored her as they were absorbed in their conversation.

"I really hope that this works," Cody said as he had Bailey and Casey on either side of him. Casey was intentionally sitting closer to him, and Bailey had her arm in Cody's just to show possession. London snickered at that, thinking that Casey really had no chance with Cody, but the girl was determined. Just as all of them are with this whole situation they're in.

"It will work," Casey assured them. "My dad can be pretty convincing."

"And so can mine," London added. "This isn't going to be pretty."

"Well, we'll just have to see," Bailey said.

London didn't want to wait. She wants to see how this was unfolding. She stood up from her stool and told her friend, "I'm going to Daddy's suite and listen in on the conversation."

"You're going to eavesdrop?" Cody asked.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do. You guys can stay here and die of impatience and... that word where you really want to know something."

"Curiosity?" Cody guessed.

"Exactly."

She left, and as she left, she found Bailey and Cody come up to her, and of course, Casey was next to Cody. And of course again, Woody was next to Casey. "We'll come with," Bailey said. "I'm also curious to know how the conversation between Mr. Tipton and Mr. Covington plays out."

London smiled and turned and was on her way. Her friends followed her to her father's suite, and when they arrived at the doors, which didn't have security detail by them this time, they all leaned against the doors, listening in. London heard her father's voice first—

"Mr. Covington, are you saying what I think you are saying?"

"I am, Mr. Tipton," came another male voice. Casey smiled and whispered as she held onto Cody's arm, which Bailey wasn't thrilled about, "That's my dad." Both Cody and Bailey figured that they couldn't rid themselves of the girl, so they dealt with it.

"Shh," London whispered. "I want to hear this."

They all listened, and heard Mr. Covington's say, "Mr. Martin will graduate from Seven Seas High on my account. I have already contacted his mother, and she was very accepting of my offer. But... it is a bit difficult to have him graduate from said school when he is currently not attending it."

"Why would you care so much about Mr. Martin?"

"Well, he is a good friend of my daughter's, so I feel that it would be in her best interest that her friend be happy. And, I want her happy as well, so I would like it if your daughter remain here on the ship to keep my daughter company."

There was a pause for a moment. Mr. Tipton said, "Oh, I see what you are doing. You are trying to push those two together. Well, no. I will not allow Mr. Martin to be in the same place as London, and that's final."

"Would you really deprive my daughter of her happiness when you have already deprived your daughter of hers?"

"What did you just say?" Mr. Tipton said in an agitated voice.

"The truth. And, I understand that your company relies greatly on the revenue that my company gives to you. Will you be able to refuse my offer if my company simply stops sending you money?"

London held her breath, as well as her friends. Oh, her father's face is probably red with anger. She heard him chuckle, but it wasn't a happy chuckle. "You wouldn't do that, Mr. Covington, just so those clueless teenagers can see each other."

"Stopping the revenue will not do my company one bit of harm. On the contrary, it will benefit my company. My Board and other associates have actually advised me in the past to stop the revenue since Tipton Co asks for quite a sum."

"Then let us make a business deal that doesn't have to do with our children."

"You know that our children are far more important than our companies. I would do anything for my daughter. Wouldn't you?"

There was silence for a moment, and then Mr. Tipton said, not really answering the question, "Yes, our children are very important, but so is image and business."

"And you will lose more of your good image, as well as some of your business, when you lose collaboration with my company. I urge you to think about what is the best option for your company as well as your daughter—the two most important things in your life. Are you willing to sacrifice both of them for the sake of image?"

There was silence for a moment, and Bailey whispered, "Ooo, he really got him there. He won't be able to refuse now."

"Yeah, he gave him an ultimatum," Cody whispered.

London had no idea what an ultimatum was, but she knew that her father was in a bind. She knew that Mr. Covington is a large asset to Tipton Co, and without giving the company money, it will suffer. At least, until her father finds another source of money. It was doubtful that he would since the amount that Tipton Co needs is a high amount. Well, high in any normal person's eyes. She could understand why her father was having a hard time responding to this.

"This is all a bluff," Mr. Tipton said.

"I assure you that I am very serious," said Mr. Covington.

There was silence again, and London and her friends leaned in more to the door, and she could hear her heart hammer through her ears. How did her heart get into her ears? It doesn't matter. What is her father going to say now?

"I think this is it," Casey said.

"The anticipation is killing me," whispered Woody. "Is Mr. Tipton going to allow Zack to come back or not?"

They all listen in, and finally, Mr. Tipton said, "Fine. Fine, you win. Zack Martin can come back to Seven Seas High."

London couldn't help herself—she screamed and pushed her friends aside and went on into in the suite. Mr. Tipton was there in the living room area as Mr. Covington stood before him. "Daddy, are you serious?" she exclaimed, and she felt tears sting her eyes from her happiness. "Zack can come back?"

Mr. Tipton's expression turned from annoyed to loving. He came up and stood in front of his daughter. "Yes, London. I suppose I just needed to see where my priorities lie. I was putting Tipton Co before your happiness. If you want to date this Zack Martin, then okay. Just know that I won't like it, and I won't like the publicity that comes from it."

"People already know that we we're dating," London said, and then embraced her father. Those tears came. "Thank you so much, Daddy."

He wrapped his arms around his daughter. "You're welcome."

They stood out of the embrace, but Mr. Tipton still had his arm around London. He told Mr. Covington, "There is no need to hold the money. I will allow London and Zack to be on the ship at the same time."

Mr. Covington smiled. "That is wonderful. My work here is done." He looked to London. "I am sure that my daughter is standing outside of this suite?"

"Uh-huh," London said. "And so is Zack's twin brother and his girlfriend. And another friend."

Casey came on in right after London said that. She embraced her father. "Thanks, dad."

"Anything for you, buttercup," he cooed.

Mr. Tipton cleared his throat. "Now, if you all are done playing tricks on me and manipulating me, I have business to get to. London, see me off at the helicopter pad, alright?"

"Okay, Daddy. Thank you, again."

"Don't mention it. And I really mean it." He looked to Mr. Covington and Casey. "Not a word about this, understood?"

"Understood," Mr. Covington said at the same time as Casey.

"Very well," Mr. Tipton said. "Now, will you all excuse me?"

They all complied, and London stood outside of the suite with her friends. Bailey took her arm in excitement. "Oh my gosh, the plan really worked! It just made your father see just what was really important."

"I can't wait until Zack finds out about this," said Cody. "I'll call him right now."

London nodded, and she couldn't stop herself from hugging Bailey. Not that she wanted to hug her, she was just so happy that she and Zack can finally be together with her father's approval. Now, he just has to get back on the ship.

* * *

Naturally, Zack was through the roof. He didn't expect this plan to actually work, and in the way that it did. It took something that could ruin Mr. Tipton's company for him to see what really mattered—London's happiness.

"Well, honey, I'm glad that this all worked out, but I sure am going to miss you," Carey said as Zack was packing his suitcase in the living room of the suite. "And I'm a bit sad that Mr. Covington won't pay for your schooling. It was all a ruse to make Mr. Tipton agree."

"It didn't start out as a ruse. Mr. Covington was pretty serious."

"Yes, and that's what saddens me."

"It's fine, mom. Just be happy that I'm going to be happy."

She hugged her son, and Zack found himself inhaling his mother's flower perfume. "I know, and I am. Gosh, I'm going to miss my little Zacky."

"Okay, okay, mom, can't breath here," he said and stepped out of her tight embrace. He closed his suitcase. "Well, let's head out. We have to meet the jet in half-an-hour."

Zack took his two suitcases and they both left the suite. At the elevator, Carey said, "It was sure nice of Mr. Tipton to let you fly in one of his jets."

"You can thank London for that. Plus, how will an actual plane land on a ship in the middle of the Pacific?"

"Parachute?"

"Yeah, right. I like my legs, thank you."

They headed down, and soon made it to the jet which was at the same park he and London tried to escape to that time. And it was the same pilot who London chewed out after he snitched on them to Mr. Tipton.

"Well, Zack, I'll miss you." Carey brought him into her arms again. "Give Cody a hug for me, okay?"

"How about I just say that you miss him, too?" He patted her back. "See ya, mom. I'll miss you, too."

She let go, and Zack went and rolled both of his suitcases to the jet, and the pilot helped him board them onto the jet. Soon, Zack was zoomed away from Boston and over the Pacific. His heart pounded with excitement at being able to go back to Seven Seas High again, at being able to be around all his friends and his brother again and, more importantly, London. Now they can be together without her father constantly on their backs. The man's not happy that he and London are dating, but he'll just have to deal with it.

A couple hours later, the ship came into view out of Zack's window. It was just a white speck in the vast blue, and he heard the pilot say that they were approaching and to prepare to land. The ship came closer, and soon, he was stepping out of the plane. He instantly saw his friends and brother standing there to greet him, along with Mr. Moseby and Miss Tuttweiller. But where was London?

He stepped off of the stairs to the jet, with his suitcases, and his friends came up to him. Cody embraced him in a hug. "It's great to see ya, man," he said and patted Zack's back. "It wasn't the same without you here."

"Tell me about it," Woody said. "No one wanted to hit the buffet with me and scarf down the spicy shrimp."

Zack let go of his brother. "How about we hit the buffet for lunch tomorrow? I missed that spicy shrimp."

"Yes!" Woody exclaimed as he fist-pumped the air.

"So, where's London?" Zack asked everyone.

"She's in her room," Casey said as she was standing right next to Cody, and Woody was right next to her. Zack momentarily remembered Casey's instant crush on his twin brother. He wondered how Bailey was taking that. And he was told about Woody's crush on Casey. What a whacky love web those four created.

"She's in her room?" Zack asked, alarmed. "And not out here to greet me?"

"Yeah, she didn't want you to see her a crying mess."

"But I've already seen her like that, plenty of times."

"She's just so happy that you were coming back," Bailey said. "She told me to tell you to meet her at her room just so she has enough time to make herself beautiful."

"She's always beautiful. Let's go."

The five friends made it down to London's cabin, and once there, Cody offered to take Zack's suitcases and put them in Zack's room. The others left and Zack knocked on the door. "London? It's Zack."

The door flew open to reveal London with makeup tear streaks running down both cheeks. She immediately embraced Zack, nearly knocking him over. But he didn't mind. He hugged her back, tightly, relishing in her nearness and her intoxicating expensive perfume.

"You're here again," she said in a cracked voice into his shoulder."We can be together now."

"Yes, we can. Your dad finally came to his senses."

"Yeah, it really did take him long enough to realize that his daughter's happiness is more important than an image." She came out in front of him, but they still held onto each other. "Let's go for a walk. I can fix my face and then we can go somewhere we can be alone."

Zack smirked. "Sounds good to me."

London went on into room, redid her makeup, and then she and Zack were on their way. They soon were walking along the railing of the ship as the warm, salty sea wind blew, and the sun was setting over the ocean's blue horizon. London had her arm hooked with Zack's as they walked.

"I love this," she said, and Zack looked at her.

"I love _you_."

They stopped. She smiled and embraced him, and it felt as if his heart swelled five times its size as she did so. He never thought that he would be this happy in his life. Was he even allowed to be this happy and in love? After being the menace that he was? Well, he's a changed man now, and that's thanks to London. Now that he has her, he shockingly doesn't want to look at another girl again.

"I love you, too, Zack," London said quietly into his shoulder. "Who knew that this would happen with us, after me always thinking that you were a shrimpy kid who caused trouble all the time?"

"Yeah, and who knew after I always thought you were a vain rich girl?"

"I still am. And you still cause trouble. But you're not shrimpy—you're taller than me now."

He chuckled. "Yeah, that's true."

They stood there for a moment as the wind whipped their hair. He heard London mutter, "I'm so happy right now. This feels... right."

"Yeah, it does."

"Let's never break up, okay?"

Slightly alarmed, Zack looked back at her. "What? Why would we do that? I've more happy than I can ever remember being in my life, and I was absolutely miserable when we were separated. I mean, I missed you more than Cody, and he's my twin brother."

She smiled, and Zack's heart jumped. _Gosh, she's beautiful. _He stared at her mouth, and she noticed. They both leaned in and their lips met. Something shot through Zack's system like a rocket and he held London to him, kissing her mouth and loving how it felt as it moved with his. Her arms lifted and wound around his neck. They continued kissing as more wind blew.

Oh, how wonderful it felt to do this without any hindrance or needing to hide. He can kiss London whenever he wants, and can be around her as much as he wants as well. London was right—who knew that they would end up like this, so happy and in love? Well, he certainly didn't...

But he wasn't complaining one bit.


	18. Epilogue

_Hi, again! I just had to add an epilogue since I feel I left some questions unanswered. Well, thanks again for reading! =)_

* * *

**Epilogue**

It was comical seeing the way both Woody and Bailey were eyeing Cody and Casey, with daggers in their eyes. The blonde couple were at the towel counter, and Casey was behind it with Cody. She clung onto his arm and he smiled, enjoying it. Bailey huffed as Zack was behind the smoothie counter as he watched this going on.

"I can't believe that she stole him right from me," Bailey said angrily.

"And it took her five whole months to do it," Woody muttered disdainfully. "She's never given me the time of day. Literally, most times. I tried so hard to win her heart, and Bailey, you tired so hard to keep Cody's heart, but we both failed."

"Yeah, and I know I wasn't successful."

Zack snickered at his friends. "You guys are giving up way too quickly. Plus, you have Addison, Woody. We all know that she likes you."

He looked at Zack with wide eyes. "Addison likes me?"

"Haven't you seen the way she looks at you in class?"

Woody sat there, thinking for a moment, but then he shook his head. "Nah, I don't think she does."

"Cody was my person," Bailey said, ignoring her guy-friends' banter. "Just you wait, I'll be able to dig her claws out of him."

Zack eyed Casey and Cody, and the way that they were smiling at each other. "You're going to need a huge shovel for that one. Good thing that London's and my love is strong enough that we won't have to worry about stuff like that. London's never going to look at other guys, and I'm never going to look at other girls."

"Which is shocking," Woody added.

"It is, but that's just how strong love can be. Those types of feelings don't just go away, or can be swept away by someone else."

They all stared at Cody and Casey, and Bailey suddenly jumped off her stool. "You're right, Zack. Love doesn't go away that easily. Cody still loves me, I can feel it. I'm going to do something about this."

She stalked over to Cody and Casey and pulled Cody away from Casey. As she pulled Cody away, she was insisting that they talk, and Casey followed them off of the sky deck. Zack's interested to know how this one will turn out. His brother _has _told him that he loves Bailey, but he also has feelings for Casey.

"Wow," Zack laughed. "This will be interesting. Cody's still crazy about Bailey, so I think she's gonna win this battle."

"Yeah..." Woody breathed. "Well, I'm going to find Addison."

Wood got off the stool, and Zack wished him luck. Poor big guy. But he's going going to have some luck with Addison—she really is crazy about him. Everyone besides Woody knows that, ironically.

Zack got back to making smoothies. He made a glance at the beautiful Asian girl in a silver bikini near the pool, a girl he swears he's never going to part with. It would be insane to do so. Her dad has backed off, and they have been able to be together for a solid five months. That's a lot longer than he thought he would be with any girl, and this seriously. Most people who know him and knew him thought that he would always be girl-hopping and would always have a hundred girls' phone numbers saved into his phone...

But not anymore. There's only one girl in his phone contacts now, and he's staying with that girl for a long, long time.


End file.
